COVID forces Yorkton RCMP to close detachment to public

The Yorkton RCMP detachment has been closed to the public for two weeks after an officer tested positive for COVID-19.

The officer tested positive Sunday and immediately went into self-isolation. All employees at the detachment who were in close contact with that officer — a group that includes 14 officers and six civilian members — were forced to self-isolate as directed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Those 20 people also are being tested for COVID-19.

As a result, the detachment is to close for non-emergency matters for two weeks starting Monday. The shutdown is scheduled to end Oct. 12.

The Yorkton RCMP detachment will be answering all phone calls from the public during that time.

“Over the past six months, the Saskatchewan RCMP has been preparing for exactly this type of situation and we have been putting in place measures to ensure our officers and employees continue responding to calls, 24 hours a day, seven days a week right across the province,” the RCMP said in a media release.

“Residents can be assured there will be police officers in the community to respond to calls for service in a priority manner as if there was a functioning detachment. Our Operational Communication Centres are open 24/7 and remain fully functional for all emergency calls. Anyone calling for service should not notice a difference in policing services.”

The Mounties said the detachment, police vehicles and other areas are going through a complete sanitization and disinfecting.

Those who have submitted a request for a criminal record check at the detachment will get their results by mail.

Priority criminal record checks required for the upcoming municipal election or for a health-care position can be done at RCMP detachments in Canora, Kamsack and Melville.

All other criminal record checks will be done at a later date.