Coppermine (May 10/04) - The Kugluktuk RCMP detachment could expand to include another member when the new corrections centre in the community opens in September 2004, said Cpl. Franco Radeschi.

The introduction of a new minimum corrections facility to the region, one that will house 14 inmates, could add serious urgency to the detachment's request for more help, Radeschi said.

"We do require more resources," Radeschi said. "I believe we are understaffed here. For example, we don't have a full time clerk here, we have no clerk. So the members are spending a lot of their time doing administrative duties."

Although the opening day for the corrections facility is months away, RCMP expect the jail will create more work for their five-member team.

"You're not going to have it go perfect at the beginning," said Radeschi. "You're not going to have everybody rehabilitated on their first try. Some may get violent at the facility and we respond. Or, when an inmate gets to go out during the day, he could start drinking when he wasn't supposed to or steal some money. So there might be extra work that way."

The Kugluktuk RCMP put forth a proposal a year ago for more resources to hire another officer. But so far, Radeschi said he hasn't received word whether the detachment will be getting that extra help.

Currently, Kugluktuk is second only to Iqaluit with numbers of people on probation, with 98 community corrections clients living in the hamlet.

Alex Buchan at the hamlet office knows his community needs a corrections facility. But many people are so disgusted with the overwhelming youth crime, people tell him a young offenders healing centre would have been a better plan.

Buchan still sees the positives of the adult offenders facility.

"This community will have an opportunity to develop local rehabilitative programs," said Buchan. "Local groups and individuals will have the opportunity to work with corrections staff develop programs to assist inmates with staying out of jail in the future."