Saskatchewan’s crime severity climbed further above the national average for 2025, according to numbers released today by the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics.
The Crime Severity Index measures both the volume and the seriousness of police reported crime in a community. It tracks violent offences, non-violent offences and an overall score combining both.
Canada’s 2025 index sits at 75.01. Saskatchewan’s is 146.64, nearly double the national figure.
The data covers Saskatchewan RCMP detachment areas with a population over 1,000. Of 84 such areas, 60 rank above the Canadian score. Eleven of those 60 are more than 10 times the national number. Twenty five are in northern Saskatchewan.
RCMP points to new policing models
The Saskatchewan RCMP said it is testing new service delivery models in response to the numbers.
One is a rotational drive in model built around a hub and satellite detachment structure in Pelican Narrows and surrounding areas. Officers live in the Saskatoon area and report for duty on rotation, switching teams every eight days. While on duty, they reside in the communities they serve.
The RCMP said earlier versions of this model in other Saskatchewan detachment areas eased staffing and workload strain, improved community engagement and helped retain experienced officers. Further consultation with communities will determine whether the model expands elsewhere in the province.
More analysts, more targeted patrols
The RCMP is also investing in intelligence led policing, hiring additional analysts to turn crime data into actionable information for investigators. The force said this helps identify emerging trends and links between incidents.
From Apr. 1, 2025 to July 15, 2026, the RCMP’s Enforcement Response Team for the province carried out 410 deployments across the province, including 164 to northern communities. Warrant Enforcement Response Teams focused on executing warrants for prolific offenders in northern communities and backing up frontline officers during high call volumes. Crime Reduction Teams targeted high risk incidents and organized crime networks tied to illicit drugs and firearms.
“As Saskatchewan’s provincial police service, we have an obligation to make every effort to enhance our service delivery to combat crimes and continue to evolve with the changing policing environment,” said Superintendent Amber Clark of the Saskatchewan RCMP.
“That’s why we’re not standing still. We’re modernizing how we police, investing in intelligence led approaches, and strengthening partnerships to target prolific offenders, disrupt drug networks and continue focusing on our core mandate: community safety,” Clark said.
The RCMP said it plans to release further crime data in the coming days, covering calls for service, prolific offenders, executed warrants, breach of conditions, impaired driving, illicit drugs and homicides.
Border area detachments show a mixed picture
Statistics Canada’s detachment-level data for 2025 shows a wide range across the rural municipalities BorderPulse covers.
Maidstone’s RCMP detachment posted an overall Crime Severity Index of 117.61, above the national figure of 75.01 but below Saskatchewan’s provincial average of 146.64. Its violent crime index sits at 79.80, with a non-violent score of 133.72.
Turtleford’s detachment came in higher, at 245.83 overall, more than three times the national figure and above the provincial average. Its violent crime index was 415.26, with a non-violent score of 180.19.
Onion Lake’s detachment recorded the highest number among the four, at 745.79 overall, nearly 10 times the national figure and more than five times the provincial average. Its violent crime index was 863.77.
Battleford’s municipal detachment did not have a 2025 figure available in the data.
Statistics Canada cautions that figures for detachments serving populations under 5,000 should be read carefully, given how much a small number of incidents can move the index in a smaller jurisdiction.
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