Staff Sgt. Carl Dinsdale became commander of the Meadow Lake RCMP detachment in May 2023. He has served with the RCMP for around three decades. (submitted/ Sask. RCMP media)

By Kenneth Cheung

YEAR-ENDER CHAT

Meadow Lake RCMP call it ‘a good year,’ but say challenges remain

Dec 29, 2025 | 12:00 PM

Meadow Lake RCMP are ending 2025 describing the year as demanding but productive, with rising thefts, noticeable social pressures and several major policing successes.

“I think we had a good year,” said Staff Sgt. Carl Dinsdale, the detachment commander. At the same time, he said, “Statistically, our crime statistics show a bit of an increase in certain areas.”

He said thefts have been climbing, while the detachment also saw an increase in assaults, including 23 more common assaults this year compared to last. The numbers aren’t massive in volume, but he said they create noticeable percentage jumps in a smaller policing region.

Dinsdale connects much of the trend to broader social challenges that became more visible over the past year.

He said many people were displaced by the wildfire and that “it seemed like our local homeless population increased noticeably.”

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As temperatures drop, he said property crime often rises as people search for shelter, and the local overnight shelter does not have the capacity to meet the full need.

He said RCMP work closely with Meadow Lake Outreach Ministries and social services and will ensure vulnerable people aren’t left outside during dangerous weather, even if that means temporarily warming up at the detachment while other options are found.

Targeting repeat offenders and clearing warrants

Dinsdale said one of Meadow Lake RCMP’s biggest priorities continues to be its prolific offender management program, which focuses on individuals repeatedly tied to crime.

Officers regularly check on people with court-ordered conditions and take action when they are breached.

“We know statistically that a large majority of the offenses that occur in any given community are committed by a small group of people,” he said.

He said the detachment also made significant progress clearing outstanding warrants.

“We tasked several members with a project to try and locate and execute as many outstanding warrants of arrest as we could, and we’re quite successful in picking about two thirds off of that list this year,” he said.

He added the detachment also carried out multiple successful drug initiatives that led to search warrants and seizures.

Staffing and technology supporting local policing

While many detachments in Canada struggle with staffing, Dinsdale said Meadow Lake’s staffing picture was a positive story in 2025.

New RCMP members and support staff joined the team from across the country, and he said they have contributed strongly to operations.

He also credited technology with strengthening day-to-day policing. Several officers are trained to use drones, and the detachment has two available.

“They’re a fantastic tool,” he said. “They save us so much time in a lot of instances and they multiply our resources.”

He said body-worn cameras and member-tracking technology are also improving evidence gathering and deployment efficiency.

Calls that defined the year

Looking back, Dinsdale said a search for a missing autistic child in Meadow Lake Provincial Park stood out as an important moment.

“It was a great example of the use of that technology [and] a great example of working very effectively with our partner agencies, the conservation officers and the park staff.”

He also acknowledged an officer-involved shooting this year on Flying Dust First Nation as a deeply serious and impactful incident for the community and RCMP members.

“We work hard and examine those things and review them… and ultimately, what can we learn from that, that could prevent a similar situation from happening again… those are the situations that we never want to see.”

Dinsdale also emphasized the importance of officer well-being and said the RCMP encourages members to use mental-health supports available to them.

Looking to 2026

Dinsdale said one of the most important things the public can do is report crime consistently.

“We need the public to report crime when it occurs, and all crime, like no crime, is too small to call us and tell us about,” he said.

He said that information helps police map crime locations and direct officers where they are needed most.

Looking into 2026, he plans to meet early with communities policed by the detachment to identify priorities.

Meadow Lake will also host the 2026 Saskatchewan Winter Games, which he expects to be a major event for the region. He said one of his goals is for the detachment to “tell our story better” through stronger communication with residents.

Through the challenges and progress, Dinsdale said Meadow Lake RCMP have continued providing 24-hour policing coverage and remain focused heading into the new year.

—

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com