According to the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General Public Complaints Commission, there were 78 complaints filed against Saskatoon Police in the 2017-18 fiscal year. That’s an increase from 60 in the previous year. That’s more than double the number of complaints filed in Regina, which saw a total of 36. Prince Albert had seven complaints, Moose Jaw had four. In North Battleford, there were eight complaints against Community Safety Officers. At the time of the report, 39 of the cases in Saskatoon had investigations not yet completed, 14 were determined to be unfounded, four were withdrawn, two had an informal resolution, in 18 cases, it was determined that circumstances did not require investigation or, during the course of the investigation, it was determined that circumstances no longer supported the continuation of the investigation. Two cases were found to be substantiated. One of those had to do with Discreditable Conduct and the other was Abuse of Authority.

In its report, the Commission says it is concerned with the inappropriate exercise of the powers of arrest, search and seizure, and the entry into homes without warrant and without compelling circumstances. The commission is also monitoring the increased use of police car cameras, video recordings inside police buildings, the use of social media by on-duty officers, and issues surrounding the use of body-worn cameras. The commission also notes the increased contact and calls-for-service involving individuals in mental health crisis.