How Saskatoon’s Air Support Unit is helping nab thieves involved in rural property crime

They’re the eyes in the sky even when you think they’re not around.

Not only is the police service’s air support unit fighting crime from far above for Saskatoon, it assists RCMP when necessary.

“We see a lot from up here,” Sgt. Wade Bourassa, with the Saskatoon Police Service Air Support Unit (ASU), said.

READ MORE: Saskatoon police plane tracks stolen SUV, helps make arrest

Bourassa is both pilot and police officer nabbing criminals on city streets from 4,000 feet above with the use of modern technology.

“This provides us the ability to see low-light situations, daylight situations and nighttime situation.”

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Responding to scenes within seconds, the ASU is often searching for criminal activity before it even occurs.

“We do a lot of research as to when crime is happening, where it’s happening and we proactively patrol those areas and so that when we’re airborne were able to respond instantly,” Bourassa said.

Flying 1,100 hours a year, this crime fighting team will respond to 2,000 calls during that time.

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“Some of those calls are suspicious vehicles, suspicious persons, sometimes they turn into nothing. Often times they turn into capturing murder suspects.”

READ MORE: Air support unit leads Saskatoon police to 4 teenagers fleeing crash

One call regarding a suspicious vehicle, that took a half-hour of the unit’s time to investigate, resulted in the apprehension of six murder suspects from Regina.

According to Bourassa, the unit will help RCMP with varying calls approximately 50 times a year.

“We account for the times we work with the RCMP,” he added.

“Not only are we asking for their help – they’re asking for ours because crime doesn’t end at the border of the city.”

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According to Saskatchewan RCMP crime stats, calls for service in two of the province’s three districts were up in the last year:

• South: up 7 per cent;
• Central: up 4 per cent; and
• North: down 4  per cent.

The more telling data was from 2011-16:

• South: down 9 per cent;
• Central: up 18 per cent; and
• North: down 5 per cent.

The RCMP has its own air assets throughout the country and require assistance mostly on crimes in progress or when their fleet of aircraft require an annual inspection.

“We bill them back in a cost recovery sort of situation so it doesn’t cost the taxpayers in the city anything,” Bourassa said.

READ MORE: Sask. RCMP urge safety, prevention first over frustration about rural crime

Typically, the calls are in close proximity to Saskatoon and it would take just seconds for the ASU to return if something were unfolding.

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Plus, as Bourassa pointed out the quick precision of the $500,000 camera and its abilities to zoom in and zoom out often means the team can monitor situations from city air space.

“The crime that’s being committed in Saskatoon, sometimes comes from people who live outside the city and vice versa so keeping tabs on all of that, working with our partners is of incredible value.”