Pubdate: Wed, 15 Apr 2015
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2015 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Charles Hamilton
Page: A3

INCREASED GUN VIOLENCE WORRIES MAYOR

Says city may need more officers

Don Atchison says Saskatoon needs more police officers to fight gun
crime. Mayor Don Atchison says Saskatoon's police department may need
more officers to fight a growing problem with gun crime.

"It used to be knives and now it's guns," Atchison said in an
interview on Tuesday.

His comments followed another shooting in Saskatoon - the 14th gun
incident this year. Police are still searching for suspects after
police found a bullet hole in a vehicle in the 400 block of Avenue S
South after receiving a report of a gunshot around 9 p.m. Monday. It
was the second shooting in less than a week.

Atchison said the number of gun incidents is a growing
concern.

"I know at budget time it is difficult, but safety and security are
utmost in mind. ... I think the police chief will tell us that in some
areas he needs more resources," Atchison said.

He has full faith in the police chief 's ability to keep the city
safe, but he wouldn't be surprised if more officers are requested in
next year's budget, he said. The police force recently underwent a
redeployment in which 16 officers - including some from the gang,
traffic, vice and graffiti units - were sent back to patrol from
investigative and administrative units.

Atchison said he is confident the redeployment was the right move
because the police chief knows best how to police the city. He
acknowledged, however, that gangs and drugs are the root cause of much
of the gun crime in the city.

"It's the gangs. It's the drugs that are involved. It's that
undercurrent that is there," Atchison said.

Last year, police confirmed at least 36 incidents involving the use of
firearms. In the first 3 1/2 months of this year, that number is
already at 14.

Overall crime rates in Saskatoon have continued a decade-long decline.
The most recent numbers show that since 2003, the city has seen a 47
per cent reduction in its overall crime rate, but it remains among the
highest in the country for overall crime severity.

Police received a $4.5-million budget increase in December, but police
Chief Clive Weighill was allowed to hire only four of the eight
additional officers he requested.

At budget time, Atchison supported hiring the new officers but was
outvoted.

"Each year that we delay putting more officers into service, it just
builds up more and more," he said.

Atchison has previously floated the idea of a gun amnesty program that
would allow people to turn in firearms without fear of prosecution.
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