West central Saskatchewan may see more law enforcement as soon as this fall.

Approximately $1.6 million in funding from the Ministry of Corrections and Policing is going to the Saskatchewan RCMP to expand the Crime Reduction Team (CRT) initiative.

14 new full-time team members made up of 10 police officers and four support staff will be hired.

Funding for these positions is provided through the Provincial Policing Services Agreement, which funds the majority of Saskatchewan's RCMP members.

The new CRT members will conduct targeted enforcement, investigate crime trends and work with other RCMP detachments and municipal law enforcement to combat rural crime.

“We have heard directly from our detachments and communities the value of the Crime Reduction Team,” Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer A/Commr. Curtis Zablocki said. “The team, made up of members with specialized enforcement and investigation skills, deliver focused, high-intensity policing to communities that need it most. Their efforts have yielded results, taking drugs, firearms and criminals off the streets of our Saskatchewan communities."

The CRT started this past February as a pilot project and has been responsible for 193 arrest warrants dealing with 384 Criminal Code charges.

“We look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will have in Saskatchewan’s rural communities,” Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell said.