Several changes to and a new name have been announced for the federal policing program in Saskatchewan.
The name is now Integrated Organized Crime North (Saskatoon) and Integrated Organized Crime South (Regina).
The changes were announced Wednesday by F Division RCMP along with their municipal partners.
In a statement, Supt. Kevin Jones, federal criminal operations officer, explained the changes.
"Criminal organizations don't operate in isolation of one another," said Jones. "Criminal investigations cross jurisdictions, borders and can involve drugs, stolen property, cash, money laundering and the like. Our federal units will now be organized in such a way it gives the front-line investigators the latitude and freedom to pursue criminal activity wherever it exists, enabling law enforcement in the Province of Saskatchewan to more effectively disrupt, dismantle and prosecute criminals and keep our province safe."
Previously the F Division Federal Policing Program comprised of four streams: Economic Crime, Organized Crime, Support Services and Criminal Intelligence. Economic Crime and Organized Crime formed the investigative streams, while the Support Services and Criminal Intelligence streams provided support to investigations. Officers had been divided up into separate units under the previous arrangement.
Now the officers previously in separate units have been amalgamated to form a pool of federal investigators.Drugs, Economic Crime, Border Integrity, Integrated Border Enforcement Team and Proceeds of Crime will operate under the new namesof Integrated Organized Crime North for Saskatoon and Integrated Organized Crime South out of Regina.
RCMP say the Integrated Organized Crime units will remain as integrated units, with the resources coming from RCMP and municipal policing partners.
