Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 01/02) - Department of Justice and police officials are scrambling to reassure Yellowknife that services in the capital are not being scaled back.

Justice Minister Roger Allen used his minister's statement in the legislative assembly to announce that deputy minister Don Cooper met last Friday with RCMP "G" Division Commander Everett Summerfield.

"People will be pleased to hear that as a result of this meeting, there will be no immediate changes to the level of policing provided in Yellowknife," Allen said.

Staff Sgt. Terry Scott, detachment commander, warned Yellowknifers in a press release last week that the, "services enjoyed by the community cannot be maintained with the resources available to us."

He said police will not respond to intoxicated persons complaints unless the person is in danger.

The detachment also intended to cease involvement with the popular Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, which is designed to help elementary and middle school students resist the lure of illegal drugs.

Allen and Summerfield both said Thursday that DARE would continue.

Asked what had changed from last Friday, Summerfield said "nothing" and that police were merely "clarifying".

Allen echoed Summerfield's sentiments.

He said the meeting between the superintendent and Cooper, "was just to clarify the roles of the RCMP."

"We continue to liaise with "G" division...if someone makes a complaint (to police), they're not going to be left waiting."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said Thursday that Allen's and Summerfield's announcements were, "a good first step."

Asked what the next step was, Van Tighem said that ensuring, "as population levels increase the service levels increase."

Currently, the territorial Department of Justice and Ottawa share the costs of policing Yellowknife. The NWT pays 70 per cent of the cost, while Ottawa picks up the other 30 per cent.

Late Thursday afternoon, police issued a press release advising that, "current resource levels and police service at Yellowknife detachment...are under review by the RCMP."

Scott said in an interview last week that his officers are carrying caseloads four times higher than the national average.

Summerfield agreed with Scott's assessment, saying that was why the review was being undertaken.

"From that, we'll be able to best determine," what resources are needed in the capital and across NWT.

Summerfield said he expects the review to be completed this summer