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The provincial government’s contributions to the Regina Police Service add up to $6.6 million this year.
The police force will receive $5.7 million through the municipal police grants program from Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. That annual funding will support 44 existing positions withing the service.
An additional $900,000 is coming to the police service through SGI, to fund five more Regina policing positions through the Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan initiative, bringing the total funding up to $6.6 million for 49 positions.
Similar grants for Estevan, Moose Jaw and Weyburn were announced on Wednesday.
The province said the funding will support initiatives like Regina’s Police and Crisis Team, which partners police officers with mental health professionals to help those in crisis. An additional $114,400 is being provided to support a new position on that team, the ministry noted.
The money will also help fund the Internet Child Exploitation program, which investigates online child exploitation cases, including child pornography.
Sandra Masters, Regina’s mayor, said the city is grateful for the ongoing support from the province.
“We are committed to building a safer community for our residents, and the Municipal Police Grant enables the Regina Police Service to coordinate and expand their delivery of critical services to meet the evolving needs of our city,” Masters said in a statement.
Dean Rae, the city’s acting police chief, said officers work around the clock to try and tackle crime, and the extra funding is a big boon.
“The province’s commitment to public safety and well-being through this grant is invaluable for our police service and for our community,” Rae said.
The city’s next police chief, Farooq Hassan Sheikh, is set to take over from Rae starting on Dec. 1.