Sask NDP leader Carla Beck revealed a new four-part plan to fight crime and make the province safer as part of the NDP election platform. “We used to be the place where you left your door unlocked, but under Scott Moe and the Sask Party our province has the worst crime rates in Canada,” said Beck. “We need to get Saskatchewan out of last place on public safety and make our communities more secure. We need to get tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. It’s time for a change.”The plan includes hiring more local police officers and scraping the Marshals Service. It focuses on helping people with mental health and drug problems. Beck wants to create a special team to look into “unexplained wealth,” which could be linked to organized crime. Lastly, she proposed a $2 million program to help families, small businesses, and places of worship improve their security with alarms and security cameras.Beck pointed out that almost 100 towns and cities in Saskatchewan are asking to stop the Marshals Service. She mentioned that the Sask Party has spent $14 million on the Marshals but has yet to deploy any new officers on the streets.Former Sask Party MLA and Speaker Randy Weekes told the Regina Leader-Post that the Marshals Service was created because of one politician's dislike of the RCMP, which is Sask Party MLA Jeremy Harrison.Beck also promised to work with local leaders to improve safety. She wants to fill empty public housing and increase social support.“This is an all-hands-on-deck approach to giving communities the tools and resources they need to make our streets safer and tackle those root causes of crime — like mental health, addictions, and the lack of housing,” said Beck.
