'We should be able to go to sleep with our doors unlocked': Sask. First Nations Chiefs call self-administered policing funds

In the wake of the James Smith tragedy, the tribal council that represents James Smith Cree Nation and 11 other First Nations bands is laying the ground work for self-administered policing and improved safety measures.

“If the government can provide that for immediate help, leading of course to self-administered policing,” said Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte.

Hardlotte said chiefs from Prince Albert Grand Council will meet with officials from the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety and Indigenous Services Canada Thursday.

He’s asking for the federal government to fast-track funding for a feasibility study on a tribal police force for their 12 nations.

“Very hopeful that we will get that funding because that's where we're at, with what we've been doing, it's been stalled,” said Hardlotte.

He said if all goes well, they could have an announcement as early as next week about funding to improve safety and policing on Prince Albert Grand Council reserves.

Montreal Lake Cree Nation Chief Joyce Naytowhow McLeod said the stabbings at James Smith Cree Nation is not an isolated incident.

She says there have been four RCMP standoffs in Montreal Lake in the last year. In December 2021, a standoff with RCMP in ended with a 28-year-old man dying as a result of an officer involved shooting.

“It affected us in all of our communities,” said Chief Naytowhow McLeod.

She’s calling for more communications between probation officers and band council.

“We don’t get a call from the probation officers, so we don’t know who’s coming in so that’s a big fear,” said Naytowhow McLeod.” We should be able to go to sleep with our doors unlocked.”

She said there’s no on-reserve programs for those exiting jail and the programs they do have on-reserve, like drug and alcohol detox and mental health counseling, are stretched thin.

People are being turned out of the federal correctional system that haven’t been rehabilitated and the provincial jails lack programs for offenders, said Naytowhow McLeod.

She wants a comprehensive after-care plan in probation release terms and for band council justice committees to be informed when offenders are released from jail.

“We have to put our minds together to come up with solutions,” she said. “When they come out from jail and they come to the reserves and there's really nothing there and they go back to the same thing. and they're just constantly in and out of jail.”

Grand Chief Hardlotte said Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu indicated on Wednesday at James Smith Cree Nation, a “willingness” to help First Nations communities implement their own safety and policing measures.

He said at present First Nations bands pay community safety officers, security guards and peacekeepers out of their own capital budgets. He says those positions should be expanded and paid for by the government.

He would also like funding to implement measures outlined in community safety plans.