The provincial government is providing more than $532,000 to police agencies, community-based organizations and the Victims’ Fund, including $11,000 to the Weyburn Police Service, for new policing tools and programming through the Civil Forfeiture Program.
More than $180,000 of this will be provided to Saskatchewan police forces. In accordance with legislation, a matching amount will be deposited from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund into the Victims’ Fund. As well, more than $170,000 of this year’s funding will be distributed to community-based organizations.
For the Weyburn Police Service, they will be receiving $11,000 for a cyanoacrylate fuming chamber, which is a unique forensic identification technique.
The cyanoacrylate fuming chamber will help the police by providing advanced fingerprint identification technology, which will have a significant positive impact on community safety by assisting in identifying those involved in crime.
“Our government is proud to provide this funding to police services and community-based organizations across our province,” Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell said. “This money will provide our police services and partners with new tools to support the important, ongoing work they do to help community safety and well-being across the province.”
“Saskatchewan police services continue to invest in community safety and well-being through partnerships, innovation and collaboration,” Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police Chief Richard Bourassa said. “This additional funding provides even greater opportunities for all of us to share in building safer, more harmonious, and more inclusive communities.”
Saskatchewan’s Civil Forfeiture Program, through The Seizure of Criminal Property Act, 2009, seeks the forfeiture of property that is considered to be proceeds or an instrument of unlawful activity. Forfeited funds are deposited in the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund.
