The Saskatchewan RCMP has received a total of 3,300 COVID-related calls for service from March 1-Nov. 30. Of these, 49 have resulted in charges.
The vast majority of COVID-related calls for service were resolved by educating individuals about the Public Health orders (PHO) in place and the potential health and enforcement consequences that can result from non-compliance with the PHO. Police officers are responsible for ensuring actions do not put others at risk while doing their part to slow the spread of the virus.
“We need you to do the same and this starts by following and familiarizing yourself with the PHOs,” the Saskatchewan RCMP said in a news release.
From Nov. 1-30, Saskatchewan RCMP have received 342 COVID-related calls for service:
- One hundred and twenty-eight complaints of individuals not self-isolating;
- Ninety-two large gathering complaints;
- Twenty masking complaints;
- Fourteen traveller check complaints; and
- Eighty-eight other COVID-related complaints.
Of these calls for service, police have charged seven individuals under the province’s PHOs for contravening Sec. 61 of The Public Health Act, 1994. The location of the charges are identified in accordance with the provincial government’s COVID-19 map, which provides detailed information on the location of cases across Saskatchewan divided into 13 zones.
Four charges to individuals not self-isolating despite being advised to do so by local health authorities. Two charges were in the north central, one was in the far northwest and one was in the far north central.
Three charges to individuals for large gatherings. These charges occurred in the far northeast, far north central and far northwest.
Each charge is a summary offence ticket information (SOTI), under a provincial statute. These charges are not a criminal offence. For this reason, the names of the individuals charged will not be released.
As Saskatchewan’s provincial police force, the RCMP says it will continue to be present in communities to provide services and ensure community safety.
“We continue to work closely with Saskatchewan Health Authorities to investigate calls for service that violate the PHO to help maintain public health and safety.”
To support the steps communities are taking to reduce the spread of COVID-19, detachments in areas with an increased number of positive COVID-19 cases may temporarily restrict public access to the detachment to emergency requests for service only. As a result, the RCMP encourages people to phone their local detachment prior to visiting in person to determine if any changes are taking place.
