Regina police concocting 'innovative ways' to reduce outstanding warrants

The Regina Police Service is brainstorming"innovative ways" to decrease the number of outstanding arrest warrants in the city, according to a report at its monthly Board of Police Commissioners meeting.

Just what that might entail was not disclosed.

The report also highlights a 10 per cent increase in outstanding arrest warrants in2017.At the beginning of the yearthere were 2,873 people wanted on 3,599 warrants. ByDec. 31, that number rose to 3,163 people wanted on 4,006 warrants.

At the beginning of the year74 per cent (2,688) of them were Criminal Code warrants at the beginning of the year, but that declined to 71 per cent (2,857) by the end. The rest of the warrants were related to municipal bylaws and provincial statutes.

Police already havea few measures in place to decrease outstanding warrants. Officers are usually assigned three warrants per month by their patrol Sergeant.

When time and resources permit, some officers are tasked with calling people wanted in connection with the Traffic Safety Act or city bylaws and working out ways to resolve the outstanding warrants.

In some cases, non-violent warrants which are older than five years may simply be sent back to Crown to be re-evaluated and potentially withdrawn, if deemed appropriate.

Specific divisions within the Criminal Investigation Unit are assigned cases related to break and enter, robbery or auto theft.

The report said the police service will continue to look for ways to reduce the number of warrants and offenders within the city.