Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety announced that its Warrant Intelligence Team has been operational since the start of November.
The team was created in response to the stabbings in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, allowing them to suspend government benefits to prolific violent offenders with outstanding warrants and collect data.
“Violent individuals with outstanding warrants for arrest should not be benefiting from taxpayer dollars,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman said.
“The new Warrant Intelligence Team will work to ensure government benefits are not being used to perpetuate criminal lifestyles while also helping police in their efforts to apprehend those same offenders.”
In December 2022, former minister of corrections Christine Tell said it was imperative for the province to enhance its ability to track violent offenders with outstanding warrants after the Saskatchewan stabbings.
Recommendations can be given by the team to suspend benefits like Saskatchewan Income Support and the Saskatchewan Housing Benefit.
“The Ministry of Social Services will be collaborating with our partners in the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety to support the work of the Warrant Intelligence Team and take action to stop benefits to prolific violent offenders with outstanding warrants,” Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky said.
“Our ministry will do this work so that families of the offender continue to have their financial needs met as they plan for a safer future.”
The province said safeguards are in place to make sure only location data is collected about offenders and that it is only used to find and arrest them.
It added that the team will be working with the Ministry of Social Services to mitigate any impacts these suspensions could have on an offender’s family members.