A 38-year-old a 26-year-old man were arrested Nov. 5 following a traffic stop in the 400 block of Athabasca Street East.

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The MJPS Community Policing Division members had initiated the stop regarding an impaired driving investigation, and the 38-year-old man was subsequently arrested for impaired driving.

However, a subsequent search of the vehicle and its passengers yielded 61.2 grams of fentanyl with an approximate street value of $3,050, along with 2.4 grams of methamphetamine, approximately $1,800 in Canadian currency, a bladed weapon, and other drug paraphernalia.

The fentanyl seizure represents a significant quantity of the synthetic opioid, which has been linked to numerous overdose deaths across Canada. Health officials consider fentanyl extremely dangerous due to its potency — it is approximately 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

The drug is often mixed with other substances, making it particularly dangerous for users who may be unaware of its presence or concentration. Two milligrams could potentially be fatal, depending on the user and their health and past usage.

Both men face identical charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl, possession for the purpose of trafficking methamphetamine, and possession of property obtained by crime.

The two made their first appearance in Moose Jaw Provincial Court Nov. 6.

Police view the combination of drugs, cash, and distribution-related items as indicators of trafficking activity.

Anyone with information about drug trafficking or other criminal activity is encouraged to contact Moose Jaw Crime Stoppers or the Moose Jaw Police Service.

Robert Davis was most recently Chief of Police in Brampton, Ontario, and brings 34 years of law enforcement experience to his new role.

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“Chief Robert Davis stood out as a leader who understands the importance of building relationships and leading with both compassion and foresight,” said Mayor James Murdock, Chair of the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners.

“We are excited to welcome Chief Robert Davis, and we are confident in the innovative, responsive leadership he will bring to help ensure a safe and vibrant community.”

The announcement at City Chambers was well-attended, with those present including Moose Jaw North MLA Tim McLeod (also Justice Minister and Attorney General), MJPS Deputy Chief Rick Johns, Colonel Adam Carlson, commander of 15 Wing, and most city council members.

“This was a rigorous and inclusive effort,” said Councillor Patrick Boyle, a member of the board of police commissioners.

“Chief Davis emerged as the clear choice to guide the service into a new chapter, one grounded in community collaboration, accountability, respect, and professionalism.”

Jay-D Haughton, public information and strategic communications manager with MJPS, said the four-month hiring process had been led by Boyle in co-operation with Human Edge Recruiting, based out of Edmonton.

“They used a recruitment service called Human Edge to conduct an executive search to identify the next Chief of Police for the Moose Jaw Police Service. There was a lot of due diligence, it was very comprehensive, and they were able to identify a short list of qualified individuals.

“Human Edge has a lot of expertise — spanning to executive roles, leadership positions, managerial, professional, and technical.”

Former Chief Rick Bourassa announced his retirement last September after 10 years with MJPS.

Davis is not free from past controversy. During his time as Brantford Chief of Police, he was accused of bullying and lowering morale. He told media he was “OK with” not being liked by everyone on the force, as his job was to modernize the organization, not make its officers happy. He encouraged officers who felt he was a bully to raise their concerns through the workplace harassment policy.

When he was chief of the Lethbridge Police Servive (LPS), Davis was harshly criticized by Sgt. Jay McMillan, who was president of the Lethbridge Police Association for the four years of Davis’ tenure.

“Our collective experience with Chief Davis was a disaster. … From a leadership standpoint, I would call it the darkest era I’m aware of in LPS’s history. It probably wasn’t just a morale problem but a morale crisis. … It was a horrible, horrible time for us and we’re thrilled to be out from under it.” McMillan told media at the time.

Asked about the past complaints against Davis, Murdock said the new chief would be working closely with Johns and with MJPS membership as a whole to advance the objectives of the service.

“Everything was completely discussed and talked about,” the mayor assured, “and it’s important to remember … that there may be a (negative) story that follows an individual or a person, but there’s also very good ones too. And those communiques were held with personnel from Lethbridge, and we felt very comfortable with the feedback that we were getting.”

“It is an honour to be chosen to lead the Moose Jaw Police Service,” Davis said in a short, pre-written statement.

“I want to thank the Board of Police Commissioners for this opportunity. I am committed to working alongside the dedicated members of this police service and engaging openly with the community and stakeholders as we build a safer, stronger Moose Jaw for all.”

Davis was not available for questions. Haughton said they are giving the new chief time to adjust to the new role, and that he would be available for questions in September when he is formally sworn-in.

He begins official duties on August 29.

— by Gordon Edgar

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Both Regina Police Service (RPS) and Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS)  issued news releases on July 25 about a STARS Lottery scam, where victims receive phone calls or emails from someone posing as a STARS Lottery employee telling them they have won a prize.

Both police services said the caller would then tell the victim to send a payment, often in the form of a money order or gift cards, adding that people will never be asked to send money to claim any lottery prize.

People who are are being asked to send a cheque, money order, or payment of any kind to claim your lottery prize, should know it is a scam, police said.

Hang up the phone or delete the email immediately, they said, do not provide the scammer with the access codes for the gift cards, and never provide personal information such as a Social Insurance Number (SIN), or banking details over the phone.

People can check with STARS directly to verify if they are a winner and if the lottery is legitimate.

If you believe you are a victim of any scam or suspect someone is trying to defraud you, contact RPS at 306-777-6500 or Moose Jaw Police Service at 306-694-7600.

Information can also be supplied to Moose Jaw Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or RPS online at reginacrimestoppers.ca

Second scam involves fake Mark Carney endorsement

Another ongoing scam involves fake election news ads that falsely promise high investment returns, claiming people can earn profit within a month from a $350 deposit.

Scammers rely on AI-generated deep fake videos of public figures to falsely assert the investment is government-approved and “no investors will lose their money,” and the FCAA said in a July 25 news release that one scam involves Prime Minister Mark Carney apparently endorsing an online investment platform called QuilCapital.

RPS said that losses reported to them as a result of this scam are expected to exceed $1 million.

“Always check the registration status of an entity at The Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Registration Search online at aretheyregistered.ca before you invest, and do not deal with any unregistered entities,” FCAA Securities Division Executive Director Dean Murrison said in their release.

“Scammers often create fake social media posts claiming a notable figure is endorsing an investment.”

QuilCapital claims to offer Saskatchewan residents trading opportunities, including stocks, cryptocurrencies, Forex, indices and commodities.

There may be other businesses with the same or a similar name to QuilCapital, FCAA said. The alert only applies to the online entity using the website quilcapital dot com.

QuilCapital is not registered with the FCAA to trade or sell securities or derivatives in Saskatchewan, it said, and investors and consumers should not to send money to companies that are not registered in Saskatchewan, as they may not be legitimate businesses.

People who have invested with QuilCapital, or anyone claiming to be acting on their behalf should contact the FCAA’s Securities Division at 306-787-5936.

In Saskatchewan, individuals or companies need to be registered with the FCAA to trade or sell securities or derivatives. The registration provisions of The Securities Act, 1988, and accompanying regulations are intended to ensure that only honest and knowledgeable people are registered to sell securities and derivatives and that their businesses are financially stable.

FCAA said investors should always verify that the person or company is registered in Saskatchewan to sell or advise about securities or derivatives, get a second opinion and seek professional advice about the investment.

It also said people should never make an investment decision based solely on a public figure endorsement. Scammers often create fake social media posts or news articles claiming an investment is endorsed by a notable figure.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which collects information on fraud and identity theft and provides  information on past and current scams affecting Canadians, says that as of June 30, 2025 it had recorded 17,094 fraud victims across the country with reported losses of $342 million.

Fraud reports can be made online here.

Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) said in a news release on June 8 that officers were called to the business in the 500 block of First Avenue Northwest about 9:40 p.m. By the time they arrived, the suspect had already fled on foot, police said.

A search of the area found a man matching the suspect’s description, who had a bladed weapon, MJPS said

Police said the man entered the business brandishing a bladed weapon and attempted to assault someone.

The man is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday in Moose Jaw Provincial Court.

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In a heartfelt social media post, the service said that Siren died peacefully on May 8 at the age of 11. Siren’s human partner on the squad was Staff Sergeant Chad Scheske.

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The post said the pure-bred German Shepherd was born in Innisfail, AB, on Jan. 24, 2014, and joined the MJPS shortly after.

Scheske and Siren spent six years patrolling the streets of Moose Jaw, sniffing out crime and keeping the community safe, it said.

The post said that highlights of Siren’s career included finding multiple robbery suspects in the heart of winter, helping to arrest a group of car burglars, and tracking a suspect involved in an assault.

MJPS said that when Siren wasn’t on duty, she enjoyed much-needed family time with the Scheske clan, dock jumps, and lounging in her kiddie pool on a hot summer day. Siren also enjoyed the finer delicacies in life, such as nibbling on watermelon, the taste of a cheeseburger, or a cool and refreshing ice cream.

Siren retired from MJPS in 2021.

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In the past 48 hours, the Regina Police Service has seen seven reported cases of emergency scams where fraudsters target grandparents and “play upon their emotions to compel them to release thousands of dollars.”

Similarly, in Moose Jaw, its police service has received over 30 reports of the scam, with a few callers falling victim.

White Butte RCMP have also received “numerous” reports of the telephone scam.

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What happens in a typical call?

Before the call, fraudsters will research their victims and families through social media and obituaries. Elderly victims are the main target.

A fraudulent caller will tell the victim there is an emergency involving their loved one and demand money.

In some cases, the scammer says their loved one is in jail, has been in an accident, has to pay a hospital bill or cover lawyer fees.

The scammer will urge the caller not to tell anyone, including the bank, about the situation.

Some calls will replicate the voice of the victim’s family member, while other callers represent themselves as an authority figure.

The caller instructs the victim to provide them with a large sum of money either electronically or in person.

In some cases, fraudsters posed as police officers, lawyers or other legal system officials and the victims provided their home address to pick up bond money.

RCMP and police remind public to be vigilant

The Saskatchewan RCMP encourage members of the public to take the following steps to prevent being victim of a phone scam:

• Be careful; scammers can spoof telephone numbers and make it appear as though they’re calling from a trusted source.
• Slow things down. Scammers create a sense of urgency when they call.
• Never agree to meet with someone who called you asking for money.
• Never give out personal information like your name, address, SIN or banking information over unsolicited calls or emails.
• If you are unsure if an incoming call is from your banking institution, a lawyer, police or a fraudster, hang up and call the agency back using a familiar phone number to confirm the information you were told is accurate.
• Don’t be afraid to say no! Don’t be intimidated by high-pressure sales tactics or requests to send money right away. Walk away or hang up the phone.

RCMP remind people that police officers, lawyers, judges or jails would never request or pick up bond money.

Police are encouraging families and friend groups to reach out to their older loved ones and openly discuss the scam.

Anyone who’s been a victim of a scam should report it to police. Any suspected scams can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

During a city council budget meeting earlier this week, council voted unanimously to decline the proposed police budget, citing that the increases in the budget exceed the cost-of-living index of three per cent.

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The proposed budget was for $13 million for the operating budget, or a 7.43 per cent increase from 2024, and $344,000 for capital expenditures.

Newly appointed board members Mayor James Murdock and Coun. Jamey Logan raised concerns over the fact that the budget was never approved by the new board.

The budget was first presented to the board in early November. However, the municipal election took place after that, on Nov. 13, with the three board members from city council not being re-elected.

The new board did get an overview of the approved budget at the Nov. 28 board meeting.

“As you may or may not know, currently I sit on the Board of Police Commissioners, and the three of us who were newly elected to that position as of late hadn’t really put our stamp on that. So, personally, I would like to see us potentially go back, have a look at it, and get our seal of approval on it,” Logan said.

The third newly appointed board member, Coun. Dawn Luhning, also raised concerns about how much the police service was spending.

“The amount that the service is requesting is, you hate to say excessive, but it is quite a bit when you consider what we’re looking at as a city as a whole,” Luhning said.

Because the Board of Police Commissioners acts as an independent body from city council, council can decide how much to fund the police service for, but how those funds are spent is up to the board of commissioners.

According to The Police Act, 1990, city council can decline the budget and send it back to the board but must state reasons why. The board will then submit a revised budget. If it is still not approved, council can set the final amount for the budget, and under the Act, council’s decision is final.

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This happened on Nov. 7, at around 11:49 p.m. on the 1300 block of Main St. N.

One occupant suffered fatal injuries.

Two other occupants were taken to hospital, one remains in hospital with serious injuries but their life is not at risk. The other was released after being treated for minor injuries.

Due to police involvement before the collision, the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has been notified and is investigating the circumstances of the injuries to the occupants.

SIRT has been deployed to a fatal single vehicle rollover that took place following contact with @MJPolice. Details to follow.

— Serious Incident Response Team – Saskatchewan (@SIRT_SK) November 8, 2024

The Moose Jaw Police Service is cooperating fully with SIRT and has no further information about the investigation.

Both north and southbound lanes are blocked as the investigation for the cause of the crash continues.

Anyone with information is asked to contact CRIME STOPPERS or the Moose Jaw Police Service.

Moose Jaw Police Service said in a news release on Saturday that officers were called around 6:30 p.m. Police said the victim was taken to hospital with serious, but non life-threatening injuries. Police did not say where the victim was found.

The 21-year-old male was arrested at the scene and knew the victim, police added.

The man is scheduled to make his first appearance in court in Moose Jaw on Monday. No further details were provided.

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Moose Jaw police originally responded to a call of a minor incident involving an abandoned vehicle at 4:30 a.m. When they got there, Moose Jaw Police Service said a man was found dead by officers underneath the 9th Avenue Bridge.

The bridge was closed by police around 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, it re-opened to traffic around 10 a.m.

“At this point in the investigation, foul play is not suspected,” police said in a news release.

The Saskatchewan Coroners Service is now working with police on the investigation.