Southeast RCMP officers will be responding to a larger area for the foreseeable future as a temporary amalgamation between two detachments has been formed.

The Estevan detachment and the Carnduff detachment will be mixing schedules, in order to make sure both southeast areas are well-patroled.

Estevan Detachment Commander Steven Ross spells out the reason that the two detachments are working together.

"This is due to two human resource shortages. We didn't have enough members to make the schedule work. So at one-point last summer, we were actually down to one operational constable in Estevan. With that since improving, there's three operation constables now as well as myself and the corporal supervisor."

"Essentially what this means is we have a combined schedule with everybody on one schedule so we can have better coverage. Because of this Estevan members might be responding to a call in Carnduff's detachment area and vice versa. I've been to calls in Storthoaks, Gainsborough, that kind of stuff. Guys from Carnduff have been involved with calls from Torquay."

Ross says that some people may see longer response times due to the amalgamation. The two detachments will share a few duties between them, including investigations.

"This amalgamation has actually been going on for two years, so we've been kind of managing the resources, trying to cover both areas for about that length of time. So, at any given time, there will be two to four members on shift."

Other units from around Saskatchewan have also come to the southeast to assist the two detachments.

Ross says that the units will be in a more central part of the two detachments so that they can respond to calls in either area quickly.

He says that they're trying to bounce back from COVID recruitment woes.

"Some of the resourcing issues, are a trickle-down effect because during COVID the RCMP's training academy was shut down for a period of time and when it did reopen it was very limited on how many people they could have at the time, and that went on for quite some time. So, they still haven't fully rebounded from that."

"So, we're spending a lot more time and money now trying to recruit people, hire more people than we ever have. So, if you're interested or you know anybody who might be interested in a career in policing, this is potentially an opportunity for that."

He says that anyone who's interested in pursuing a career in policing should let them know.