Sask. RCMP hands out 8 tickets for not self-isolating, 2 for large gatherings over holidays

For the most part, people in the province followed the COVID-19 public health orders over the Christmas break.

RCMP media spokesperson Cpl. Rob King said the Saskatchewan Mounties issued 10 tickets between Dec. 23 and Sunday, and the majority were for not self-isolating. Just two people were fined for large gatherings.

Those are some nice statistics, considering the RCMP in Saskatchewan polices approximately 500,000 people and 90 per cent of the geographical area of the province.

King said handing out tickets is the last thing the Mounties want to do. Once officers talk to people about how they are breaking the rules, they usually comply.

“The tickets are usually only a result of someone really refusing to obey the orders,” King said.

King said the vast majority of COVID-related calls the RCMP gets are usually solved through education and bringing people up to date on what the public health orders are.

“Any type of a charge is always the absolute last resort,” he said, “like when the person has been warned, has been spoken to, has been provided the places to go and they are outright refusing to obey the orders.”

Complaints to city police were low too. The Saskatoon and Regina police services had a combined 83 calls related to COVID health orders and just one fine was issued for a New Year’s Eve gathering in Regina.