Collaboration key in rural crime investigation, officers say

Article content material

An unfamiliar and uninvited automobile drives onto a rural property.

Article content material

It’s a typical sufficient incidence in Saskatchewan — perhaps somebody wants assist, probably they’re misplaced or maybe the occupants of that automobile see a chance and a crime is dedicated.

Article content material

Rural crime is a prevalent issue in Saskatchewan, the place geographically houses, communities and the officers liable for policing these areas are unfold far, large and skinny.

And criminals pilfering gadgets in the countryside and in cities, or carting these items off and disposing of them, aren’t prone to respect the rural-urban jurisdictional boundaries between RCMP and municipal police, in order that’s the place collaboration between companies may help.

“Some of our southern detachments, you can drive for two hours and still be in the same detachment. Now they’re not all like that, but some of them are,” mentioned Staff Sgt. Corey Niedzielski, detachment commander for White Butte RCMP, in a current interview.

Article content material

“That is a huge obstacle, probably one of the biggest by far, is some of the response times. If you’re in the far edge of the area and have to travel all the way across to the other side, it’s one of the hugest challenges of rural policing versus municipal policing.”

When officers are responding to calls which require driving significant distances, it means much less assets to answer every other calls or emergencies which can come in, as effectively.

Often, it requires co-operation between police companies just like the RCMP, municipal police, freeway patrol and conservation officers in some instances. Niedzielski credit these partnerships with profitable conclusions to investigations, when extra assets are required.

“The thought course of comes about of ‘how are we going to bring this to a successful conclusion,’” Niedzielski added.

Article content

“What vehicles do we have at our disposal, who can we consult, who can we partner up with, because we need all hands on deck right now for this. So that’s a few of issues that spark partnerships, to hitch forces.”

An ongoing investigation in the areas surrounding Regina is an instance of such collaboration as Lumsden and White Butte RCMP detachments have been working with the Regina Police Service (RPS) to research rural break-ins, together with the theft of a gun secure which has since been recovered.

Along with “firearms, firearm components and numerous other items suspected to be stolen,” there have been a number of stolen autos, akin to an SUV, which was later discovered deserted and burned, and a snowmobile.

The investigation is ongoing and police are hesitant to supply a lot particulars to take care of the integrity of the file, however the incidents are only a couple examples of the numerous incidents which unfold throughout rural Saskatchewan.

Article content material

Staff Sgt. Cam Kuffner, who oversees avenue crime items centered on the areas of property crime for Regina police, mentioned these items are “in constant contact with the RCMP.”

Kuffner mentioned in instances just like the investigations round Regina, the RPS acts as an help to the Mounties searching for ties and hyperlinks to the incidents outdoors of town.

“It’s not like this was a one-off or anything like that. We’re always working with the detachments right around here like White Butte and Lumsden and stuff, just because a lot of our incidents overlap right,” Kuffner mentioned.

crmartell@postmedia.com

The information appears to be flying at us sooner on a regular basis. From COVID-19 updates to politics and crime and every little thing in between, it may be laborious to maintain up. With that in thoughts, the Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines publication that may be delivered day by day to your inbox to assist be sure to are updated with essentially the most important information of the day. Click here to subscribe.