The Regina Police Service (RPS) is looking to hire 17 more police officers in 2022.

The increase in staffing was approved in the RPS 2022 Budget includes one deputy chief, 16 full-time police positions, and seven civilian positions. The new staffing positions are set to cost $2,216,100.

Police Cheif Evan Bray said not only will more police result in a safer City and help take the stress off of the current officers.

“One of the things we know that is a real strain is the resource and the workload issues. There is a lot of work out there, and it’s complicated work, it’s messy, it’s not fun to deal with,” he said. “Even after the officers are done, and they take their uniform off and get in their vehicle and drive home, they may be physically done work, but everything they’ve seen that day, everything they’ve experienced doesn’t necessarily leave them.”

Bray said he believes having more staff is just the start of helping police officers mental health.

“We do know that having adequate resources to deal with these complex cases is a great big positive step in the right direction in helping our officers and their mental health,” he said. “We talk about officer injuries, and it’s not about breaking your leg in a foot chase, it is sometimes about psychological injuries, and no different than a physical injury people heal from psychological injuries as well.”

He added that there is room for more growth in the police service.