Saskatchewan is funding policing across the province through Municipal Police Grants. North Battleford and Meadow Lake are each being given $770,000 in funding from the Ministry of Corrections and Policing.
The grant will fund seven existing North Battleford and Meadow Lake RCMP positions in 2019 and 2020. The Province says that the Municipal Police Grant supports work to ensure a safer community, something it calls a priority. Herb Cox, Battlefords MLA, spoke on behalf of Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell on how important this funding is.
“We’re proud to be able to provide this funding to help ensure public safety in North Battleford,” says Cox. “The funding will help the RCMP in its ability to respond to the needs of the community.”
The Municipal Police Grants supports 128 police positions and policing initiatives across Saskatchewan. It also supports enhanced community policing throughout Meadow Lake in the areas of chronic offenders, youth education programs, illegal drug activity, and traffic safety. Merlin Seymour, acting mayor for Meadow Lake, says the funding is a great step to ensuring a safer community.
“We gratefully acknowledge the recent announcement of the funding for the Municipal Police Grant for our community,” says Seymour. “We feel that safety within our community is very important, and this funding allows us to be able to staff our busy local detachment with members that are needed. We look forward to working together with our detachment to make Meadow Lake and area a safer place to live!”