Sask. Marshals Service hats cost too much money, NDP says

Sask. Party faces criticism over Marshals Service WATCH: The Sask. Party is facing more criticism from the NDP over plans to create a provincial Marshal Service. Wayne Mantyka reports.

The Saskatchewan Party’s planned marshals service was under the spotlight Thursday, as the NDP revealed the government paid over $40,000 for fewer than 100 hats for the new officers’ uniforms.

NDP candidate Nicole Sarauer called the purchase “campaign hats.”

“Hats, as funny as that sounds I am not kidding you,” she said. “This is what is known as a campaign hat. In July Scott Moe’s government approved a $41,000 contract for the purchase of campaign hats for the marshal service which has not hired a single officer and has no plans for another two years.”

According to the NDP, the cost of each hat is $587.

The Sask. Party says the hats and vehicle decals have already been ordered, and on Thursday party leader Scott Moe defended the purchase, taking a jab at the NDP’s own crime strategy.

"Yes, they're going to need hats, and I suspect people are buying their own doorbell cameras and that will be used as evidence by the police officers that we're providing that the NDP would cut and provide doorbell cameras, in some way thinking that's going to keep a community and family safe. It just isn't."

NDP Leader Carla Beck said it’s a perfect example of why people are asking for change.

“This is why people are looking for change, $40,000 for the purchase of hats for a police service that doesn’t even exist yet,” she said.

The Saskatchewan Party says the 70-member marshals service will play a supporting role with other police forces in the province, while the NDP pledges to scrap the marshals service and channel the money toward hiring more municipal police and RCMP officers.