REGINA — Thousands of people go missing in Saskatchewan every year and in recognition of the 11th annual Missing Persons Week, Saskatchewan RCMP are honouring their stories.
The theme of this year’s commemorative week is “Stories not Statistics” and aims to share the stories behind those people who go missing and the investigations that take place to help bring them home.
In 2023, 2,533 individuals were reported missing to detachments in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction. No two missing persons cases are the same and each investigation that takes place is treated as uniquely as the missing person themselves, RCMP say.
Though all investigations have their own story, the desired outcome remains the same: bringing missing persons home to their families. Of the 550 missing males, 450 missing females and 1,150 youths reported missing in 2023, Kristopher Billette of Buffalo River Dene Nation, Byron Watson of Maple Creek and William “Michael” Neuman of Canora remain missing. To learn more about them and Saskatchewan’s long-term missing persons click here.
Once an initial report is made, Saskatchewan RCMP investigators are able bring in several highly-trained resources to assist as necessary. This includes police dog services, remotely piloted aerial vehicles, the search and rescue unit and more. Read how each of these tools are used in real-life missing persons investigations here.
As Saskatchewan’s provincial police force, the Saskatchewan RCMP has a number of province-wide investigational tools that can be activated during a missing person search. As each missing person investigation is different, the resources used in each case are as well, RCMP clarify.
“There are many different circumstances that can lead to a missing persons report being made” says Cst. Brendan Sanford, Saskatchewan RCMP missing persons co-ordinator.
“Those circumstances decide which of the Saskatchewan RCMP’s internal and partner resources are activated. However, the goal always remains the same, to bring Saskatchewan’s missing home.”
If you think you may know something, say something. Even if you think it may be insignificant, any piece of information may be what leads investigators to finding the answers they need to locate someone. You can report information to your local police or information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
