Cindy MacDougall
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 14/00) - Duncan Babchuk is the law in Wha Ti.

As the only RCMP officer in the small lakeside community, the 40-year-old corporal handles everything from a stolen snowmobile to a mountain of paperwork.

"I'm the investigator. I'm the boss, the secretary and the janitor," he said, chuckling. "I'm also the mechanic if any of the equipment breaks down. It all keeps me busy."

Babchuk is one of three officers in the Northwest Territories who hold down a detachment alone. Other one-officer stations are located in Holman and Paulatuk.

Babchuk, who is also responsible for a satellite office at Rae Lakes, said small towns are no small piece of work.

"I'm always busy, but the work cycles," he said. "December was really busy, but January was quiet.

"I don't get to Rae Lakes nearly enough either. I went there two weekends ago by snowmobile and the (RCMP office) trailer had been broken into. Someone was sleeping there," Babchuk said.

He said Wha Ti could use additional staff. Paperwork, answering calls and patrolling make it hard to do important youth and community outreach programs, Babchuk explained.

"I don't have time to go to the schools and talk to the kids," he said. "I'd like to that, but there's not enough time."

Other solitary cops aren't kept quite as busy. Const. Rob Frame, the only cop in Paulatuk, said he sympathizes with his long-time friend Babchuk.

"I'm not overly worked like my friend in Wha Ti," he said. "Paulatuk's a small, isolated community. It's a nice little town."

Frame said emergency calls are rare, and most of his day revolves around paperwork and patrols.

"But when you're in a one-man spot, you're the man. You have to answer everything," said Frame. That includes late-night and weekend calls to Frame's home.

"It certainly has its times when it is busy, especially when alcohol is flown into the community," he said.

Both Mounties chose their solitary watches among other possible assignments.

Babchuk said Wha Ti's wilderness called to him.

"I honestly chose this place instead of a few others because of the excellent fishing," he said. "I love to fish. And in the summer, the view of the lake is unbelievable."

Frame, who is married with two small children, said Paulatuk was a good choice for his young family.

"From the moment we got here, people were friendly and welcoming," he said. "When we stepped off the plane, people were here to help us with our boxes. It's a great place."

Sgt. Dave West, G division's staffing and personnel manager, said all one-officer detachments are voluntary postings.

"Members who go into these places are there because they want to be," he said. "There's no arm-twisting involved."

There's not much complaining, either, from Frame and Babchuk.

"I volunteered," said Babchuk. "If it's busy, why not? I'm here to work. I don't like to be the guy who's complaining."

Frame, who will transfer to his home province of Saskatchewan this summer, said policing in an isolated community was a unique experience.

"I'd absolutely recommend it," Frame said. "Oh, sure."