Sask. intelligence team to focus on tracking down province's most violent offenders

A small unit within the Ministry of Corrections will be focused on gathering intelligence on Saskatchewan’s most violent offenders who are at large, ensuring they can’t access social assistance.

A small unit within the Ministry of Corrections will be focused on gathering intelligence on Saskatchewan’s most violent offenders who are at large, ensuring they can’t access social assistance.

The six member Warrant Intelligence Team officially began operations on Nov. 1.

“The main focus is for them to get intelligence information on our most prolific violent offenders that are out in the community. That have lapsed bail, that haven’t checked in with their parole officers,” Minister of Corrections Paul Merriman told reporters on Monday.

The team will have the ability to gather information on the whereabouts of the province’s most violent offenders and bring the intelligence directly to police.

“Police are extremely busy doing day-to-day policing,” Merriman said. “We’ll make sure that we provide that information to the police so they can bring them back into custody.”

According to the province, The Warrant Compliance Act gives the team the authority to recommend the suspension of benefits such as the Saskatchewan Income Support and Saskatchewan Housing Benefit.

“What we also want to protect against is making sure there aren’t individuals that are collecting either social assistance or some type of assistance from government while they are in breach of their conditions,” Merriman said.