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Use of force up for Saskatoon police, dealing with drug users partly to blame

Saskatoon police officers have had to use more force on the job than in the past.

May 25, 2017  By The Canadian Press


A report going to the board of police commissioners says an increase of illicit drugs, including crystal meth, is partly to blame as officers are responding to more violent people.

There was an eight per cent increase in the number of incidents that required use of force in 2016 compared to the year before.

Use of force is identified through 24 categories including pointing a gun, the use of police dogs and physical restraints.
The report says when officers had initial contact with a suspect in 2014, use of force was used 96 times.

That number went down to 92 in 2015, but went up to 176 last year.

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Two guns were fired by police in 2014, compared to three in 2015 and eight in 2016.

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. 2017


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