2 days ago
RCMP says Saskatchewan commanding officer away, interim head in place
Assistant commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, commanding officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP, speaks during a news conference in Regina on Thursday, June 6, 2024. A report into how Mounties responded to a mass killing and manhunt in Saskatchewan has found some communication problems but nothing that significantly impacted the outcome. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards
REGINA — RCMP say Saskatchewan's commanding officer will be away for an undetermined period of time effective immediately.
Mounties didn't provide details on Rhonda Blackmore's absence but say assistant commissioner Robin McNeil will serve as interim commanding officer.
They say the decision won't affect front-line policing and that they have confidence in all officers in the province.
Blackmore took command of the Saskatchewan RCMP in April 2021, after serving various posts across Canada for 30 years.
She spent her first years as an officer in the Saskatchewan communities of Assiniboia, Regina and Buffalo Narrows.
In 2022, she launched the RCMP's first unit aimed at recruiting Indigenous people to ensure Mounties represent the communities they serve.
She was also the public face of the force after the mass killings on James Smith Cree Nation in 2022.
-This report was first published by The Canadian Press on June 4, 2025.
