CSKA: Innovating Community Safety

CSKA was established as a non-profit in July 2015. Based in Saskatoon and Ottawa, we support governments, the police and others in developing, implementing and evaluating new approaches to improving community safety and well-being outcomes.

To that end, it employs collective impact and evidence-informed approaches to mobilize and facilitate research and the development a knowledge base to inform how community safety and wellbeing-related work is organized and delivered. More particularly, its work:

• informs and improves professional practices across the community safety system;
• informs alignment within the sector; and
• improves safety and well-being outcomes.

Why CSKA?

In 2010, the Government of Saskatchewan and its partners launched the Building Partnerships to Reduce Crime, thus establishing a comprehensive approach to crime reduction and safer communities. Central to BPRC efforts are highly practical, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing harm and improving community and individual well-being. Since then, Saskatchewan has become widely recognized as a leader in community safety innovation. But sustaining and improving upon these successes will require new evidence-based knowledge that is translated into purposeful strategies and actions. This is where CSKA comes in.

CSKA Lines of Business

Through its four business lines, CSKA employs innovative multi-disciplinary methods to deliver results and achieve targeted outcomes:

Research

Effectively utilizing academia and practitioners to marry research and analysis with practice to drive results at a local level; exploring how data and technology can drive evidence-based outcomes in targeted areas.

Leadership and professional development

Training first responders as well as policy makers on new approaches for tackling community safety and crime prevention.

Training, technical guidance and knowledge exchange

Sharing information and fostering cross-sectorial models of partnership to drive better outcomes; grow the alliance and practice of knowledge sharing beyond provincial borders.

Independent evaluation

Evaluating and sharing what works to promote the use of evidence-based practices across the community safety system.