Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Fort McPherson (Oct 23/00) - Youth crime used to be a big problem here. Not any more.

The community used a $600,000 federal grant to help get young people out on the land and develop more positive interests.

The grant and the efforts of one of RCMP Const. Geoff Garceau have helped cut youth crime by 50 per cent this year.

Garceau has taken the idea of getting police into schools one step further.

"I teach school in the afternoons," explained Const. Garceau.

When he walked the halls of Chief Julius school, often in uniform, Garceau saw the students take note of his presence.

But what really made the difference in their behaviour, he said, was having that uniformed, weapon-carrying cop show them a little respect after he took on the job of teaching drafting.

"At one point many of my students were also most of my case load," Garceau said. "But that has diminished.

"I'm able to communicate with them on a different level."

Garceau explained that small change may have brought about the large change in attitude among the kids that spilled out of the hallways and into the streets.

When he sees his students on the street, he waves or offers them a ride and they have their own way of returning the favour.

"I got called to a fight in progress a little while ago," Garceau said, laughing.

"It was funny because when I got to the disturbance the individual causing it was flat out on his stomach with three of my students on top of him, waiting for me to get there."

One of Garceau's drafting students did so well last year he recommended the youth for a work term at Pin-Matthew Architects in Yellowknife. He stayed in the NWT capital when the firm offered him a summer job.

Garceau is sure others will follow that example. Others will stumble, but he thinks the right connection has been made.

"I did pick up a student who was drinking and unfortunately I had to lodge him in a cell a little while ago, but he respected me and I respected him," Garceau said. "It was so quiet the next class and then one person said to him, 'I heard the teacher picked you up over the weekend, that true?'

"He just lifted up his head and gave a big smile."