The number of drivers charged with speeding in Martensville so far this year has increased by more than 800 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In February and March, 2020, there were six speeding charges laid by Martensville RCMP. In February and March, 2021, 50 drivers were pulled over by police and charged with speeding.

The increase in charges isn’t due to Martensville drivers suddenly developing lead feet. It’s because police are stepping up enforcement on city streets.

RCMP Sergeant Curtis Little told the Martensville City Council comittee of the whole meeting meeting on Tuesday, April 13 that the detachment is putting more emphasis on traffic enforcement. As a result, the number of charges for provincial traffic violations in general, including seat belt and stop sign violations, is up.

“There’s been a big increase in provincial traffic charges,” confirmed Little. “The number of charges overall went from 19 in February and March, 2020 to 130 in February and March, 2021.”

Little said the number of collisions was also up this year.

Meanwhile, the number of Criminal Code traffic charges, which are more serious and include things like Impaired Driving and Dangerous Driving, dropped in Martensville during February and March, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. Six impaired driving charges were laid in Martensville in that two-month period in 2020, while four impaired driving charges were laid for the same period in 2021.

Warman-Martensville RCMP Staff Sergeant Barry Thomas told the meeting the number of police officers in the detachment is expected to return to regular levels this year.

“Staffing numbers will improve,” said Thomas. “We will have five new faces, which brings the number of vacancies still to be filled down to just one.”

The Warman-Martensville detachment includes the two urban municipalities as well as the rural area west and of north of Saskatoon. Satellite RCMP detachment offices are located in Delisle and Radisson.

Thomas said the increased number of officiers will allow the detachment to heighten its visibility in both cities.

“We’ll be bringing back the bike patrol this summer,” said Thomas. “We’ll also have a dedicated Traffic Officer and be increasing our School Resource Officers from one to one and a half or two full-time positions.”