Police Chief Cameron McBride remembers his days working patrol. He’d respond to about seven calls on a 12-hour shift. Now, it’s common for a patrol officer to respond to about 20 calls. Police responded to 165,763 calls in 2025, or about 454 calls a day. That’s an increase of 41 per cent since 2019. The spike in call volume is part of the reason the police service is seeking more funding. The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners approved a $149.96-million police budget for 2027 — a 5.4 per cent increase from 2026. The budget includes 33 new full-time positions — 22 of them are sworn officers, including four dedicated to Saskatoon Transit. “Right now, we’re running very lean,” McBride said at the police board meeting at city hall on Thursday, ahead of the budget getting approved. The number of police officers per capita has been declining for a decade. In 2015, Saskatoon had 179 officers per 100,000 residents. By 2025, that number had fallen to 162. “All we’re asking for is growth that gives us a police-per-population value that I believe is appropriate and responsible,” McBride told journalists. But filling the positions could be a challenge. “Our applicant pool is lower than it was several years ago,” McBride said. McBride said securing enough training spots at the Saskatchewan Police College remains a significant obstacle. Police are dealing with not only more calls, but also more serious incidents. There were 1,471 serious assaults reported in Saskatoon in 2025 compared with 959 in 2020. McBride also raised concerns about the growing presence of weapons, including knives and firearms. Despite those challenges, Saskatoon’s ranking on the Crime Severity Index has improved. Saskatoon now ranks 10th among 41 Canadian census metropolitan areas on the Crime Severity Index. The city’s score dropped seven per cent from 2024 to 2025, but the score of 98.87 remains above the national average of 75.01. McBride said bear spray incidents have dropped significantly in 2026, crediting new provincial legislation and targeted police efforts. “It’s confirmation that hard work and the right legislation can really make a difference,” McBride said. While the Board of Police Commissioners has approved the 2027 budget, it still requires final approval from city council next month. Most of the budget was already approved by council as part of the city’s two-year budget in 2025.
