By Canadian Press

Saskatchewan stabbing spree highlights rural policing challenges, experts say

Sep 6, 2022 | 12:23 PM

An ongoing manhunt for a suspect in a mass stabbing that shattered some small communities in Saskatchewan is raising fresh questions about rural policing in Canada. 

Police are continuing to search for Myles Sanderson, a 30-year-old suspect in the deadly stabbing rampage that happened northeast of Saskatoon over the weekend.

Experts say efforts to apprehend him are likely hampered by the Prairie province’s vast geography, network of criss-crossing back roads and underfunded policing services. 

Rick Ruddell, a justice studies professor at the University of Regina, says police officers in Saskatchewan are often spread thin with massive areas to patrol. 

He says the situation can lengthen police response times and hinder the ability to respond in the immediate aftermath of a serious crime before additional resources are brought in.  

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Scott Blandford, a former police sergeant in London, Ont., says while mass murders are rare in Canada, the recent stabbings highlight the “cracks” in the policing of rural areas and challenges facing officers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 6, 2022.

The Canadian Press