MOOSE JAW — Thefts, break-ins, illegal drugs, firearms and traffic safety are some of the main issues that concern residents and that the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) regularly pursues, the chief says.
Monthly data show that thefts continue to be a big issue in Moose Jaw — similar to what other municipalities face — along with the illicit drug trade and associated violence, Chief Rick Bourassa said recently while discussing the 2022 crime severity index numbers. Therefore, it works closely with other police agencies to address those issues.
“And our response to that (crime) is increasing our investigative capacity and trying to get ahead of that … and increasing our tactical capabilities because very often these situations involve firearms,” he continued. “And we are recovering more and more firearms in these situations.
“There had to be an increase in our investigative and our tactical response capability in order to get at those properly.”
The police service regularly hears from residents about their concerns with drugs, while it also learns about the severity of that issue through its intelligence-gathering efforts and from the Board of Police Commissioners, Bourassa said. Its objective is to apprehend people and groups bringing drugs into the community and selling them to residents, while it aims to connect users with the necessary services and support.
Connected with this issue is the sense of insecurity residents have in public spaces, so the police service is working to have a more visible presence, he continued.
“We’ve done that this year and we’ll continue to do that (in the future),” Bourassa stated, adding the agency will better understand what people think about crime when it conducts a public survey this fall.
With break-and-enters, many are connected to offenders illegally gaining access to storage units where — aside from security cameras — no one is around to monitor the compound.
“We’re not really in front of those, but we have been pretty successful in identifying who the people are, holding them to account and recovering the property,” said Bourassa, adding the police service increased its K-9 unit to provide 24/7 coverage and better address break-ins.
The police have also increased their seizures of drugs and guns and arrested more people connected with gang activity due to more investigative efforts.
“For a long time, we just didn’t have the resources to get at (these problems). Boy, gathering intelligence for projects takes a lot of resources and a lot of time,” said Bourassa. “(But) we’re better equipped now to do that than we were a few years ago.”
One issue that concerns most residents is traffic safety in the community, so it’s important for the police service to have a strong traffic safety component, the chief said. One way it has addressed this area is by adding more motorcycle-based cops.
“(It’s) funny how members on motorcycles are able to spot people using their electronic devices very often and are able to stop that from happening,” Bourassa continued.
The police service is working closely with Combined Traffic Safety Saskatchewan (CTSS) and pursuing more Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) blitzes to enhance safety in the community and region, he noted.
Bourassa added that the MJPS is working on several projects and would make those initiatives soon known.
