New officer role aids By-Law Enforcement and RCMP
By Staff
Selkirk residents may have noticed a new vehicle patrolling the streets this year. Since May 2025, the City of Selkirk has been supported by its first Community Safety Officer (CSO), a Peace Officer who has been actively working across the community alongside the By-Law Enforcement team and the RCMP. The CSO provides outreach, conducts proactive patrols, delivers public education, and enforces select provincial legislation such as the Highway Traffic Act and the Offroad Vehicles Act.
Unlike the RCMP, CSOs do not respond to emergency calls when you call 911. Instead, their focus is on promoting community safety by deterring crime, addressing unsafe behaviour, and creating stakeholder relationships through a combination of education, prevention, and enforcement.
Kristy Hill, Director of Protective Services for the City of Selkirk says that the Community Safety Officer is here to work alongside the RCMP and other agencies to help create a safer environment for everyone.
“It’s about being proactive—preventing issues before they escalate and engaging with the community in meaningful ways.”
In Selkirk, the officer conducts vehicle and walking patrols, participates in crime prevention initiatives, and attends community events. The CSO is also able to enforce municipal by-laws.
Rather than relying solely on RCMP officers who need to prioritize emergency calls, the CSO can focus on proactive patrols in areas identified by citizens through the CitizenSupport system or using data from the RCMP flagging areas of concern.
Citizens are legally required to comply with a CSO’s signals, just as they would with an RCMP officer, including pulling over when indicated by lights and sirens, failing to do so may result in drivers receiving additional tickets under the Highway Traffic Act.
“Having a Community Safety Officer means more eyes and ears in our neighbourhoods. It means we have a deployable resource to help us nimbly respond to priority areas and emerging trends. And it provides an additional resource to support the RCMP when needed,” said Selkrik CAO Duane Nicol.
Selkirk RCMP detachment lead inspector Chris Lambert said the detachment is on board with what they consider a supplemental resource for their staff.
Selkirk joins the City of Thompson, Portage la Prairie, the Rural Municipalities of Hanover, Rockwood and East St. Paul, and the Town of Sainte Anne in now having its own CSO.
Residents can expect to see the CSO engaging with the community regularly, enforcing provincial legislation and municipal by-laws, and assisting other emergency services when needed.
“It’s about connecting with people, educating them on safe practices, and building relationships that make our city stronger and safer,” said said Hill.
For more information on the Community Safety Officer’s role, visit MySelkirk.ca/CSO.
