The most popular reason for arrest in Saskatoon is drunkenness
Unexpected findings by local police.
Saskatoon Police in Saskatchewan have shared arrest statistics with the public. To the surprise of citizens, the most popular reason for arrest in the city was showing up drunk in public places.
The report covers the period from January 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023. During this time, 17,802 people were taken to police stations. Of these, 5,558 (31%!) were arrested for appearing in a public place under the influence of alcohol.
Why are the police arresting for this?
Of course, intoxication is not a crime, and no charges were filed as a result of these arrests. The reason why drunk people are arrested and taken to the police station is because they are in a vulnerable state. They may have nowhere to go or be unable to get to a safe place.
Normally, people in this condition are admitted to the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Brief Detox Unit (BDU). However, they have limited capacity — there are only 15 beds in the BDU, 6 of which are for another social program.
"Between February – August of 2023, the BDU was at 120 per cent occupancy, resulting in an average of four people refused admittance nightly," the report said.
Police stations have become in this situation an alternative to specialized centers where people can safely wait out the night.
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