Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Saskatchewan RCMP data shows there are more victims of violent crime in the province and those victims are experiencing more severe forms of violence. To help keep residents across the province safe, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams (SERT) work with RCMP detachments and frontline officers to suppress criminal activity.
Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT – which includes Crime Reduction Teams (CRT), the Human Trafficking and Counter Exploitation Unit (HTCEU), Offender Management Unit (OMU), Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Teams (STRT) and Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Teams (WEST) – targets criminal groups and offenders who threaten the well-being of Saskatchewan people.
As a result of criminal investigations across the province last year, Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT:
- made 827 arrests;
- executed 392 judicial authorizations and search warrants; and
- laid 1,015 Criminal Code and Controlled Drug and Substances Act charges in 2024.
Aiming to curb criminal activity, Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT conducts targeted enforcement activities informed by intelligence, evidence-based policing, analysis of community crime trends and consultation with local leadership. Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT also works hand-in-hand with frontline RCMP officers at detachments to combat crime in the communities they serve.
Investigation uncovers firearm trafficking in Hudson Bay area
Early in 2024, RCMP officers with the Prince Albert CRT, in collaboration with Hudson Bay Detachment, began an investigation into firearms trafficking in the Hudson Bay area.
As a result of continued investigation, Prince Albert CRT and Saskatchewan RCMP’s Critical Incident Response Team executed a search warrant at a residence in the Veillardville, SK area in March 2024.
Officers located and seized:
- 40 rifles;
- two handguns;
- approximately 20 additional firearms in various states of disassemble;
- more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition;
- powder and rifle casings used to reload shells;
- boxes of prohibited high capacity rifle magazines;
- two crates of illegal cigarettes;
- mint coins and gold jewelry investigators believe are stolen;
- small amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia.
An individual was arrested and charged with multiple firearms offences including trafficking and possession of prohibited firearms. The suspect was also charged with possession of stolen property and possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine.
Saskatchewan RCMP teamwork keeps communities safe
“By removing dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the illicit market, our teams prevented these weapons from potentially falling into the hands of criminals and gang members who could use them to harm and intimidate community members,” says Insp. Jeff Smoliak, Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT Senior Investigative Officer.
“This is a prime example of how Saskatchewan RCMP SERT and local detachments work together as the provincial police force to enhance community safety in Saskatchewan.”
What is SERT?
Saskatchewan RCMP SERT is made up of 108 RCMP officers and 31 civilian support staff. With different teams located in 10 Saskatchewan communities, SERT is readily mobile and able to quickly deploy to surrounding areas. Teams are also assisted every single day by over 1,500 RCMP employees, including more than 1,000 sworn officers at 80 plus detachments across the province.