Province selects first chief of Saskatchewan Marshals Service

The Saskatchewan Marshals Service has found its leader in former RCMP officer Robert Cameron.

According to the province, Cameron served in the RCMP for 30 years – retiring as a superintendent – prior to becoming the assistant deputy minister of policing and community safety services.

In that role, Cameron oversaw the launch of the Saskatchewan Provincial Protective Services Branch.

“It was a four person independent panel that looked at all the qualifications, and with Mr. Cameron's experience of 30 years in the RCMP and the various duties that he's done in RCMP, including F Division, he has a very good feel for what the needs of the marshal services is in Saskatchewan and we're very lucky to have him,” Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Paul Merriman explained.

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As Chief Marshal, Cameron will oversee 70 officers with a focus on enhancing law enforcement and deterring criminal activity in rural areas experiencing high levels of crime, apprehending high-risk and prolific offenders as well as conduct investigations related to farming and agriculture offenses.

The Marshals will also support RCMP, municipal police operations and First Nations police as well.

The Saskatchewan NDP have said they are concerned over the independence of the Marshals from the government.

Policing critic Nicole Sarauer said Cameron’s hiring does not alleviate the opposition’s concerns.

“We still hear from municipalities who don't know what the marshals are going to be doing,” she told reporters. “I hear from folks in policing who don't know what the marshals are going to be doing; where they're going to be; what their mandate is going to be, where they're even going to be physically located.”

“So they could start from square one and actually reach out to hear from people about what they think is needed,” she added.

In his role as chief, Cameron will be responsible for developing the service in the lead up to its 2026 launch.

His appointment comes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.