Sask. police women’s commission puts out call for new members

The Prince Albert Police Service is looking for community members to join the police service women's commission.

The commission works with and advises police chief Patrick Nogier.

"To work with individuals that represent the community and provide me with a perspective, allows me to stay grounded as a chief, to ensure that what we're doing internally meets the goals and expectations externally from the municipality that we serve," Nogier said.

Some of the commission goals are to add more diverse perspectives to policing and to boosts positive community engagement.

The current commission was established in 2022 and is led by Elder Liz Settee and Rev. Nora Vedress.

"There's a lot of male insight into policing," said Vedress. "With that comes a great deal of value and wisdom in and of itself. But to offer policing specifically, a more of a women's view on things, I think that has value no matter who your chief is."

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Vedress said they have been using the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which included calls to justice for police agencies, as a guiding document.

"We have an amazing city," said Vedress. "We have an incredible opportunity to do reconciliation here really, really well. And if we're able to even help that in in the smallest of ways, then that's an honour to be at that table."

President of the Native Women's Association of Canada Josie Nepinak said that the NWAC urges police services nationwide to prioritize the safety of Indigenous women and girls through similar initiatives.

"It is critically important to have Indigenous women's voices on police commissions to bring the gendered lens, but also to bring the lived experience of interactions with police in Canada," Nepinak said.

PAPS said its most current data in Prince Albert indicates the police force is 17 per cent female and roughly 30 per cent Indigenous.