Regina police set to deploy six new special constables

Regina police are preparing to have six new officers on the streets.

On Monday, the Regina Police Service announced the addition of six special constables known as Alternate Response Officers (AROs). They’re expected to start their duties in the fall.

The AROs are to work in conjunction with police officers, delivering public safety programming in situations where an armed officer isn’t required.

The hope is that the AROs will free up regular officers to respond to other calls for service.

“We strongly believe the introduction of the ARO program will be beneficial for both the Regina Police Service and our community,” Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies said in a release. “Not only will the AROs be able to provide support to our front-line officers, but also help us better respond to the needs of the community.”

The AROs initially are to be deployed in the city’s downtown, but their service could extend beyond that area if required.

The police service signed a two-year partnership with the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety for the program, with the province’s $300,000 in funding being matched by the Regina Police Service. The funding will help cover the officers’ roll out, training and salaries for the first year of the program.

The AROs’ duties will include:

• Direct service delivery: Walking the downtown area, enforcing bylaw and provincial legislation, liaising with community partners, and ceremonial duties.
• Enforcement Support: Assisting with traffic-related events and escorts, transporting arrested persons, and assisting in detention.
• Investigative Support: Taking complaints from the public, writing reports, retrieving evidence and guarding scenes.

According to the police service, successful candidates will be sworn in as special constables and will train at police headquarters. The 11-week-long training period will include classroom and on-the-job work, and the special constables will learn about de-escalation techniques, community engagement strategies, defensive tactics, law and cross-cultural competencies.

Davies said people can apply for the new position if they meet certain requirements.

“You have to be 19 years of age and have a clean criminal record,” she said. “It’s almost identical to the application for a police officer. The only difference is red colour-blindness, and so anybody who’s thinking about being a police applicant, it’s really the same process.

“There’s physical testing, there’s a written test (and) there’s a background check, but we really think it will be a good opportunity for people to dip their toe into the water of being a member of the Regina Police Service.”

Davies said the program follows an existing program already in the province.

“We know that Saskatoon has the same program, and it’s been really successful, so this really is modelled upon what they’re doing up there.”

She said there are a lot of benefits to having these officers on the streets.

“(There will be) lots of connections with vulnerable people who maybe need that connection to service, so whether that be mental health, addictions, or something like income assistance housing, they can really be that bridge to connect people to those services,” she said.

“That visible presence, being able to arrest and write tickets for some of those provincial legislation pieces, I think that will be something that is helpful, like transporting, and then there’s all these types of things they could do to free up officers. ”