Pubdate: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN) Copyright: 2005 The StarPhoenix Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoon/starphoenix/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400 Author: Tim Switzer, Saskatchewan News Network; with SP files PROVINCE TARGETS ORGANIZED CRIME REGINA -- The Saskatchewan government committed money Tuesday for new policing positions to combat organized crime, a move that comes one day after it announced a missing persons task force. The province will spend $745,000 to the end of this fiscal year, which ends March 31, and $2 million in annual funding after that, for 14 positions in Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert. Two new prosecutors --- one in Saskatoon, one in Regina -- will also be hired to deal with the rise in investigations and prosecutions expected to follow. Part of the funding will also go toward wiretaps, search warrants and other intelligence-gathering operations. RCMP Staff Sgt. Bob Bazin, director of Criminal Intelligence Service Saskatchewan (CISS), a joint force of 21 police organizations in the province, said the move is necessary with some 40 criminal organizations operating in the province. He warned gang members will have to start looking over their shoulders. "We are going after them. I make that abundantly clear," he said. "We are going after them and we will go after each and every crime group that works in this province. "It will expand our capabilities to dismantle and disrupt these gangs," he said of the new money. "Can we eliminate all organized crime in this province? I don't think that could ever be a reality, but it certainly enables us to expand what we are already doing." The new positions include nine RCMP investigators -- four in Saskatoon, four in Regina and one in P.A. -- to work with municipal forces, a criminal intel ligence analyst in each of the three cities, one new municipal officer in P.A. and one commanding officer position which will alternate between RCMP and municipal police. Alyson Edwards, spokesperson for the Saskatoon Police Service, said this new funding will enhance the department's working relationship with the RCMP. "We certainly appreciate additional resources to battle what we see as organized crime, which includes gang activity," said Edwards. But she isn't aware how the city force will work with the four new investigators to be based in Saskatoon. "Those details haven't been worked out yet," she said. "Certainly we will make the best use of them that we can, but our administration needs to work out the details of that." Saskatoon Police Service has one unit dedicated to organized crime and another for street crimes. In 2004, Saskatoon police launched the street crime unit, which looks at incidents or crimes committed regularly by suspected local gangs such as the Indian Posse. Edwards said Saskatoon police have recognized gangs are a concern in the city. "The formation of our unit addresses that. It's been very effective in dealing with that and it will continue to do so." Through September and October, the street crime unit laid 53 criminal charges -- including robbery, assault and drug charges -- and executed 35 warrants for arrest. The strategy was born out of a pilot project undertaken by CISS in the first half of this year. During the six-month pilot, 50 search warrants were executed and 112 persons were charged with 361 offences. More than $500,000 in drugs, cash and stolen property was also seized. Supt. Hal Zorn, head of the criminal investigations division with the Regina Police Service, said during the pilot, which centred in Regina and surrounding area, police tried to "pick the low-hanging fruit to see if we could flush out 'Mr. Big.' "Overall (they) created an environment where people who were involved in gang-related activities were very much concerned about being held accountable," he said. The new resources, he added, will allow the scope to broaden beyond Regina and move across the province. This strategy is the latest in a series of efforts by the province to combat organized crime. On Monday, the government proposed amendments to the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act that would address organized crime. Also on Monday, the province announced $2 million for an eight-person missing persons task force. Both commitments are in addition to funding for 29 new officers announced last week. "This year, I believe we are seeing crime decrease -- it's a little early to say, the year's not over yet. I believe that as a result of initiatives like this we'll continue to see the reduction of crime across Saskatchewan," said Justice Minister Frank Quennell. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D