Please note all information below occurred within the time period above, unless otherwise noted.
Saskatchewan RCMP - Your Provincial Police Service
Please note that the full breakdown of our calls for service for March 6 to 12, 2023 is delayed. It will be provided as soon as it is available.
Investigative Recap
March 7: At approximately 12 p.m., Cut Knife RCMP received a report of a collision on a grid road southwest of Marsden, SK. Officers immediately responded and located a pick-up truck and a SUV that had collided, with no one at the scene. Officers carefully checked to ensure there were no injured persons in the vicinity.
Around the same time, Cut Knife RCMP received a report of a break-in at a residence. Investigation determined the pick-up truck involved in the collision was stolen from the residence, as well as 11 firearms.
As a result of continued investigation, Cut Knife RCMP arrested four individuals at two separate residences in Marsden later that day. One was later released without charge.
Investigation determined two of these individuals were operating the pick-up truck and the SUV when they collided. No serious injuries were reported to police.
Search warrants were later executed at the residences in Marsden. Officers located and seized the 11 firearms reported stolen earlier that day, an ATV, fraudulent documents, credit cards, as well as a significant amount of power tools and electronics also suspected to be stolen.
As a result, 29-year-old Joshua Thorne from Marsden is charged with:
- one count, break and enter with intent, Section 348(1)(a), Criminal Code;
- one count, theft under $5,000, Section 334(a), Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of the proceeds of crime, Section 354(1)(a), Criminal Code;
- one count, mischief under $5,000, Section 430(4), Criminal Code; and
- one count, careless storage of a firearm, Section 86(1), Criminal Code.
39-year-old Amy Racette from Marsden is charged with:
- one count, theft under $5,000, Section 334(a), Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of the proceeds of crime, Section 354(1)(a), Criminal Code; and
- one count, careless storage of a firearm, Section 86(1), Criminal Code.
28-year-old Keesha Rippengal from Marden is charged with one count, break and enter with intent, Section 348(1)(a), Criminal Code.
Keesha Rippengal and Amy Racette are scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on April 4, 2023. Joshua Thorne is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on March 15, 2023.
Cut Knife RCMP continue to investigate and will work toward reuniting the recovered items with their potential owners. If you are missing a power tool or electronic and can positively identify it by serial number or markings, contact Cut Knife RCMP at 306-398-3500.
Saskatchewan RCMP's Battlefords, Unity and Maidstone detachments, as well as Battlefords Forensic Identification Section assisted in this investigation.
March 7: On January 5, 2022, Onion Lake RCMP received a report of a sudden death of an infant at a residence on Onion Lake Cree Nation. Based on preliminary information gathered by Onion Lake RCMP and the Lloydminster RCMP General Investigation Section, it was determined Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes would be the lead investigative agency. Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes worked closely with the Saskatchewan Coroners Service over the coming months to investigate the cause and circumstances of the death. The investigation also involved support from the North Battleford RCMP Forensic Identification Section. As a result of investigation and extensive consultation with the Saskatchewan Coroners Service and the Crown, 33-year-old Tashia Turner of Onion Lake Cree Nation, has been charged with Concealing the Body of a Child, contrary to Sec. 243 of the Criminal Code. Turner was arrested without incident on March 7, 2023, and taken into police custody. She was released from custody on an Undertaking and is scheduled to appear in Lloydminster Provincial Court on April 19, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. As this file is now before the courts we are not able to provide any further information.
March 7: Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes: two charged in relation to male's death
March 8: Big River RCMP asking public to report sightings of wanted male
March 9: Buffalo Narrows RCMP and Saskatchewan RCMP ERT investigate assault and robbery
March 10: On February 16, 2023, Pierceland RCMP received a report of an armed robbery on Deer Lake Trail in Pierceland. Background is available in our February 21 weekly report, available here.
As a result of continued investigation into this incident, 24-year-old Kobe Kiseyinewakup was charged on February 24 with 11 offences including: robbery with firearm, Section 344, Criminal Code; discharge firearm with intent, Section 244.1(a), Criminal Code; discharge firearm while being reckless, Section 244.2(3), Criminal Code; and aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code.
A warrant was issued for his arrest and on March 10, Saskatchewan RCMP's Meadow Lake Crime Reduction Team located and arrested him on Island Lake Frist Nation. After his arrest, he kicked the doors of the police vehicle forcefully, causing damage. He was charged with one count, mischief under $5,000, Section 430(4), Criminal Code.
Kiseyinewakup was scheduled to appear in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on March 13, 2023.
Pierceland RCMP, Loon Lake RCMP and Saskatchewan RCMP Police Dog Service assisted in this arrest.
Background: Saskatchewan RCMP's Crime Reduction Teams (CRT) are part of the Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Team (SERT). CRTs work with Saskatchewan RCMP detachments to suppress the activity of criminals and criminal groups that threaten community safety.
March 11: Yorkton RCMP asks the public to report sightings of wanted male
March 12: Saskatchewan RCMP's Meadow Lake Crime Reduction Team, with the assistance of Meadow Lake RCMP, executed a search warrant at a residence on the 500 block of 2nd Street West in Meadow Lake. Officers located and seized approximately 8 grams of methamphetamine, 5 grams of cocaine and crack-cocaine, two firearms, ammunition and other weapons. An adult male was arrested at the residence.
29-year-old John Arnold from Meadow Lake is charged with:
- two counts, possession of a firearm while prohibited, Section 92(3)(a), Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, Section 95(2), Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, Section 88, Criminal Code;
- two counts, unsafe storage of a firearm, Section 86(2), Criminal Code;
- three counts, possession of a firearm/ammunition while prohibited, Section 117.01(3), Criminal Code;
- one count, trafficking (methamphetamine), Section 5(1), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; and
- one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Arnold was scheduled to appear in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on March 13, 2023.
Background: Saskatchewan RCMP's Crime Reduction Teams (CRT) are part of the Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Team (SERT). CRTs work with Saskatchewan RCMP detachments to suppress the activity of criminals and criminal groups that threaten community safety.
March 12: At approximately 12:56 a.m., officers responded to the report of a vehicle speeding along Highway 102. La Ronge RCMP located the vehicle driving on Cook Crescent in La Ronge and conducted a traffic stop. The male driver, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, exited and attempted to flee from police on foot. Officers immediately followed and attempted to arrest the male, who continued to resist arrest. Efforts to complete the arrest of the male required the deployment of a police intervention tool, a CEW (Conducted Energy Weapon). The male was safely taken into custody and did not require medical attention. One of the responding police officers sustained minor injuries during the arrest. A search of the male resulted in officers locating and seizing a machete.
As a result of the investigation, 32-year-old Jared Ballantyne from La Ronge, SK, is charged with: Assault causing bodily harm on a peace officer, Sec. 270.01(2) of the Criminal Code; Possess weapon for a dangerous purpose, Sec. 88(2) of the Criminal Code; three counts of resisting arrest, Sec. 129(a) of the Criminal Code; Carry a concealed weapon, Sec. 90(2), of the Criminal Code; and Failure to comply an Undertaking, Sec. 145(4)(a) of the Criminal Code. Ballantyne was scheduled to appear in La Ronge Provincial Court on Monday, March 13, 2023.
Incidents in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction March 6 to 12, 2023
Please note: the statistics below are representative of reports received within the Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction. They are from the RCMP records management system and are accurate as the day they are collected. Crime statistics are regularly updated due to changes in reporting procedures, changes in ongoing investigations, etc. As a result, the statistics below may differ from previous or future published reports.
Divisional Operational Communications Centre (does not include calls for service by the public directly to local RCMP detachments)
| Calls for service total | 5628 |
| Highest volume of calls for service was on March 11, 2023 | 1071 |
| Reports of Impaired Drivers (RID calls) | 39 |
| Homicide | 0 |
| Homicides year to date (January, 2023 to last day encompassed in this report) | 4 |
| Sexual assaults | 22 |
| Sexual crime - other (invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference) | 11 |
| Aggravated Assault | 7 |
| Assault | 192 |
| Assault with weapon or cauing bodily harm | 68 |
| Robbery | 10 |
| Firearms (use of in the commission of an offence, discharge with intent, pointing a firearm) | 6 |
| Kidnapping/forcible confinement | 1 |
| Harassment/uttering threats | 139 |
| Other persons offences (domestic or family dispute, criminal negligence causing bodily harm, extortion with firearm, mischief – danger to life, etc.) | 18 |
| Break and Enter Total | 98 |
| Number of break and enters to a business | 13 |
| Number of break and enters to a residence | 62 |
| Number of other break and enters (encompasses sheds, storage containers, unattached garages, etc.) | 23 |
| Theft Total | 225 |
| Other theft over $5,000 | 29 |
| Theft $5,000 or under | 145 |
| Number of theft of motor vehicle | 51 |
| Mischief | 478 |
| Number of mischief - damage to property | 90 |
| Number of mischief - obstruct enjoyment of property (example: unwanted, intoxicated person at a residence) | 387 |
| Bail violations | 192 |
| Breach of probation | 36 |
| Failure to appear | 41 |
| Disturbing the peace | 123 |
Reports of intimate partner and family violence
- Time period reported is quarterly.
- Data represents number of victims, as there may be more than one victim on a specific investigative file. An individual victimized more than once in a timeframe would be counted more than once. Due to common relationship types in intimate and family violence categories, totals should not be combined.
- Intimate partner refers to violence committed by spouses (legally married, separated, divorced and common-law), current and former dating partner, or someone with whom the victim was in another type of intimate relationship.
- Family violence refers to violence committed by spouses (legally married, separated, divorced and common-law), parents (biological, step, adoptive and foster), children (biological, step, adopted and foster), siblings (biological, step, half, adopted and foster) and extended family members (grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and in-laws).
| October 2022 | |
| Intimate partner violence | 404 |
| Family violence | 416 |
| November 2022 | |
| Intimate partner violence | 320 |
| Family violence | 323 |
| December 2022 | |
| Intimate partner violence | 338 |
| Family violence | 408 |
| Total intimate partner violence October- December, 2022 | 1062 |
| Total family violence October- December, 2022 | 1147 |
| Impaired-related offences | 89 |
| Number of roadside suspensions | 8 |
| Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle | 23 |
| Speeding (this does not include automated speed enforcement fines issued) | 1211 |
| Fines issued | 789 |
| Warnings issued (education-focused interaction between police and public) | 422 |
| Collisions | 304 |
| Dangerous driving | 4 |
| Fatal collisions (number of incidents, not victims) | 0 |
Non-offence Codes (generally, instances where Criminal Codes or Provincial/Federal Statutes aren't broken – for example abandoned vehicles, animal calls, school visits, property or wellbeing checks, etc.)
| Assistance | 377 |
| False alarms | 244 |
| Breach of peace | 142 |
| 911 Act – other activities | 209 |
| Suspicious person/vehicle/property | 169 |
| Mental health act (generally, police officers responding to reports of persons thinking about suicide, or people with mental illness and requiring assistance): | 200 |
| Non-suspicious sudden deaths/Coroner's Act (Every non-suspicious sudden death police officers respond to including reports of persons who died by suicide, natural, accident or undetermined. Specific breakdowns by cause of death are unavailable.) | 28 |