RCMP recruiting to address under-staffing in Saskatchewan: Goodale

Canada's public safety minister says the RCMP is working to address their under-staffing issue in Saskatchewan.

Ralph Goodale says the force has embarked on an extensive recruitment campaign.

He says they are hoping in this coming year to have a new class graduating from the Depot training academy in Regina virtually every single week rather than every month or every two weeks.

Earlier this year, the RCMP in Saskatchewan confirmed they were dealing with staffing issues the official number is about four per cent but there have been reports the actual number is much higher.

Goodale says the Mounties want to get recruits out as rapidly as possible without compromising training.

He also says the RCMP want new recruits to reflect Canada's diversity.

"From a language point of view, a gender point of view, a multi-cultural point of view, that they have the full country reflected in the graduates that they are turning out from the depot."

Goodale says an aging workforce has been a reason for the lack of staffing, because more members are retiring.