Covering an area from Belle Plaine to Swift Current and from Chamberlain to the US border, two members of the Moose Jaw Police Service are putting on a lot of kilometres as part of a new rural patrol program in Saskatchewan.

The Combined Traffic Services of Saskatchewan is just getting underway and Moose Jaw will eventually have four officers on patrol who will be looking to increase police visibility on roads and highways, conducting specific program tasks while also looking for any re-occurring problems in the rural areas.

"The reports that I'm getting back from our members who are involved right now, is that it's interesting. It's new for them and it's new for people, let's say in Swift Current, to be pulled over by a Moose Jaw Police Service member." said Moose Jaw Police Chief Rick Bourassa.

"We're happy to be involved in this and we think it will bring great value. By enhancing safety in the region, we'll also be enhancing safety here in our city."

Moose Jaw received funding for more officers as part of the program and Bourassa says these rural officers will spend about a third of their time also patrolling our city. The 2018 provincial budget showed $4.9 million to help to enhance the rural crime strategy.