Top cop calls for mental health treatment fixes
Incidence of crime hinges on alcohol, drugs and mental illness, according to RCMP commander
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Monday, August 28, 2017
NUNAVUT
The RCMP's commanding officer in Nunavut is calling for improved mental health services in the territory.
Nunavut RCMP's commanding officer Michael Jeffrey says mental health, anger management and drug and alcohol programming must be expanded in the territory to help lower troubling crime statistics. - photo courtesy of Sgt. David Lawson
Police officers per 100,000 citizens (2016)
- Nunavut: 353.3
- NWT: 447.5
- Yukon: 368.1
- Canada: 189.5
Criminal code incidents per police officer (2015)
- Nunavut: 91.6
- NWT: 97.2
- Yukon: 68
- Canada: 27.1
Source: Statistics Canada
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In light of persisting ominous crime statistics – a trend reinforced by the release of the crime severity index last month – RCMP commanding officer Michael Jeffrey said there is a need for more specific programming for drug and alcohol clinics, and better access to mental health counselling for drugs, alcohol and anger management.
High numbers for mental health calls
Nunavut has the highest number of mental health requests per call volume within RCMP jurisdictions, according to Jeffrey. Mounties in Nunavut also have the second highest Criminal Code file load and the most prosecutions per member in the country, he added.
"There are several areas which cause us concern," Jeffrey said of the Crime Severity Index (CSI). "In Nunavut, certainly gun-related calls being one, but we also have high rates in the areas of domestic violence, assault and sexual assaults. In addition to this, alcohol plays a significant factor in a high percentage of our calls."
The CSI showed that crime severity in Nunavut rose by four per cent in 2016. Nunavut's rate of violent crime stands about three times the national average.
Nunavut has 119 Mounties, a number that will increase to 128 between this year and next due to the Government of Nunavut providing funding for nine additional officers in Pond Inlet, Iglulik, Pangnirtung, Gjoa Haven and Iqaluit.
While making a case for greater mental health programming, Jeffrey gave credit for the "amazing work" currently being done at the community level and by the territorial government to reduce the harmful effects of crime.
He also acknowledged that there are many social and economic factors that affect crime rates, such as poverty and substance abuse.
"The RCMP recognizes that a well-balanced approach to crime prevention cannot be imposed from the outside, it must emerge with the assistance of the communities themselves," Jeffrey said.
In July, the Government of Nunavut announced $35 million will be devoted to a suicide prevention action plan over the next five years. Community-led action projects will be eligible for $16 million of that funding while $4.4 million is being devoted to mobile Inuktitut counselling services.
