Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

QIKIQTARJUAQ (May 31/99) - Even though it was kind of embarrassing for him, Patrick Kooneeliusie thoroughly enjoyed being the police chief of Qikiqtarjuaq for a day.

He enjoyed it so much that he's thinking about joining the police force when he finishes his education at Inuksuit school.

"I'm thinking about it. Maybe I'll be one," said the 15-year-old Grade 9 student.

He explained that his day of fame came about after he entered an essay writing contest in which he had to produce a paper on how he would make his home town safer if he was the chief of police. Kooneeliusie said it was difficult at first, but once his teacher gave him a few hints, the words came quite easily.

Five other contestants also wrote essays, but Kooneeliusie beat them out and won the chance to make good on his suggestions.

Along with going on patrol with the other officers in the community, he got to spread his ideas on how to make the hamlet a safer place, some of which included arresting people for drunkenness, enforcing curfews for children and protecting elders.

Kooneeliusie also got the opportunity to go to his school and visit his fellow students -- an experience that left him feeling a bit red in the face.

"I had to go to school and they were all laughing at me. It was kind of embarrassing and I had to wear a police jacket and cap and that made it even more embarrassing," said Kooneeliusie.

But when he went back to class the next day, his peers, many of whom still teased him, were extremely curious to find out what the experience had been like.

"I told them what I did at the police station and how I learned to do all the stuff and how to take fingerprints and pictures."

Cpl. Grant MacDonald, the officer in charge in Qikiqtarjuaq, said that while some of Kooneeliusie's classmates were jealous of his opportunity, for the most part it provided everyone with a real learning experience.

"It allowed youth to provide police with ideas on ways to police the community and make it more safe. The people who participated in the essay contest, it gave them a better idea of what's involved in police services," said Cpl. MacDonald.

With plans to beef up the contest for next year and to allow children to submit essays in Inuktitut, Cpl. MacDonald said he hoped to see more participants and interest from the students. As for Kooneeliusie, the police officer said it gave him a boost of confidence and let him see firsthand all that's involved in being a member of the RCMP.

"By being chosen as the chief of police, he has a lot more understanding of what the police do. It's more than what the community sees."