They are Saskatoon’s newest public servants. Five Alternative Response Officers (AROs) were sworn in as Special Constables recently and have undergone training. They are now officially walking the beat, facilitating outreach and referral services and assisting regular patrol officers and members of the Traffic Division. The ARO program is a new tier of public safety service delivery in Saskatoon. By providing a supporting role to enforcement and investigative support they will increase the availability of regular police officers to respond to calls for service. In their grey shirts, special constable patches and distinctly marked vehicle, residents will notice that AROs look a little different than regular officers. The development of the ARO program was a multi-year process which included a community needs assessment. Funding was earmarked in the 2021 SPS budget.
