Sask. First Nations sign agreement to explore new policing models on reserve

PRINCE ALBERT -

The provincial and federal governments announced a partnership with Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) to strengthen policing and community safety in 28 First Nations communities.

“What we are signing here is to work towards self-administer policing, to have our own police officers in our communities,” said Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte. “And we can only achieve it if we work together.”

The Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino and the provincial Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Christine Tell signed the letter of intent in Prince Albert at the PAGC Annual Assembly in the presence of PAGC members and FSIN leader Bobby Cameron.

This letter of intent officially establishes the PAGC Public Safety Implimentation Team between the three parties. It signifies a shared commitment of governments to work towards community-oriented and culturally appropriate police services, says Hardlotte.

The consultation process with individual communities is expected to begin in early 2023.

“This work will result in a vision of empowering Indigenous communities to put forward programs and services and police services,” said Mendicino.

The First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP), created in 1991, may be used as the framework for PAGC’s tribal policing initiative.

Under the FNIPP, eligible costs are shared with provinces and territories in accordance with a 52 percent federal and 48 percent provincial/territorial cost-share ratio. PAGC says communities may choose RCMP, tribal police or a blended model where RCMP, tribal police and security guards work together to police PAGC communities.

“We have unique challenges with each of our First Nations communities…so there’s no one model,” said PAGC Vice-Chief Joseph Tsannie.

Hardlotte says there needs to be legislation to allow First Nations to provide direction to police so band council resolutions, bylaws and banishments are enforced by police or RCMP.

Prior to the signing, Mendicino met with James Smith Cree Nation leadership and some of the relatives of the 12 people who died in the stabbing massacre on James Smith September 4th.

“It’s important for the community to feel empowered to protect its own so you feel safe. And we have work to do on that front,” said Mendicino.

Since the stabbing, security guards from James Smith have patrolled the reserve 24-hour a day.

Chief Calvin Sanderson from James Smith’s Chakastaypasin Band says the RCMP took too long to respond to the 911 calls the morning of the mass stabbing on James Smith.

“If we had our own security or our own peacekeepers, we could have saved a lot of lives,” said Sanderson

He says hiring First Nations from the community with local knowledge of the area could also help keep out gang members and drugs.

“You know when you bring in somebody different and they don’t know our area well enough, we could be losing time, crucial time.”

Mendocino says he plans to table legislation to recognize Indigenous policing as an essential service “as soon as possible” in legal framework.

He says he’s working with Indigenous Services Canada and other ministries to address the social determinants that contribute to crime such as housing, addictions, health care, mental health care and poverty.