Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Sachs Harbour (Oct 01/01) - A recent crime spree has put residents on edge and renewed calls for more police presence in Sachs Harbour, a community of about 140 people on Banks Island.

In a pattern that is repeating itself with increasing regularity a scheduled flight brings in cases of alcohol -- and that night there's trouble. With the nearest RCMP detachment two-and-a-half hours away by air, residents say the police rarely, if ever, respond when they're needed.

On Sept. 13, there was more trouble than usual. A drunken youth reportedly fired several rifle shots randomly in town. The next day, in what appears to be a separate incident, it was discovered that the school, hamlet office, post office, Aulavik National Park office, and Co-op store were broken into. The suspected thieves made off with items ranging from camera equipment, telephone calling cards and money, to a box of steaks taken from the school lunch program freezer.

Despite all the criminal activity, RCMP in Inuvik did not show up. They say there was no immediate threat to the public's safety. Regarding the gun incident, Cpl. Tim Beland in Inuvik says it didn't appear the situation was escalating, so the decision was made to deal with it during the RCMP's next scheduled visit today. "There was no immediate danger, no one was injured," Beland says. "We take all these things in consideration when we decide if we will go in."

He says Inuvik officers make the trip to Sachs Harbour on average once every six weeks, but it can be more or less frequent, depending on staffing levels in Inuvik, and the court commitments of the officers.

The last time the RCMP were in Sachs Harbour was in early July.

Mayor Andy Carpenter Sr. says the police are not doing enough. "There was never really any response to any of the things that's been happening," Carpenter says. "People got to deal with them here and that's about it. The RCMP should be at least try to find out more and come over early as possible. It's not a prank, you know." He wants a full-time police officer to be stationed in town, but failing that he'd be happy with more frequent visits.

At the community-owned Ikahuk Co-op, manager-in-training Beverly Esau says the people committing the crimes are emboldened by the lack of police response. "It's so frustrating because the kids, when they steal, they know the RCMP won't come right away. There has to be a whole bunch of things happening, and still they're not coming until they're coming."

All people can do is lock their doors and stay at home when they hear alcohol is coming into town. "It's getting out of hand," says Robert Eldridge, a power company employee and volunteer firefighter. "When we do phone the police, we don't get treated properly. The attitude is, 'We'll get there when we get there.' Especially if it's a gun offence, (RCMP) should come in."

Everyone seems to agree the number of incidents has been going up lately. On Wednesday night, two abandoned buildings were set ablaze outside of town -- another matter the police will have to deal with today. The Co-op had previously been broken into at the end of August, and there was another incident involving a drunken youth shooting a gun back in June. None of these complaints was considered serious enough by the police to merit immediate attention.

"The police -- I don't know what has to happen here before they make a trip here," says Joseph Carpenter, 55, who drives the hamlet's water truck. "They always use the funding as an excuse not to come here, but my limited understanding of the police is they're supposed to safeguard the public right across Canada. It's like we're left on our own here."

Martha Kudlak, 69, was watching television on Sept. 13, when she heard banging and shots being fired near her house. All she could do is turn off the television, shut the blinds and go upstairs. "It's too scary," she says. "I shut the lights off ... I just wish police would come and visit, that's it."

The hamlet has since lodged a complaint with Nunakput MLA Vince Steen. Senior administrative officer Philip Moon Ho Son had written to RCMP in June complaining of rude treatment and insufficient police protection, but the hamlet was not satisfied by the response.

Steen says he's looking into the matter and has recently met with Minister of Justice Jim Antoine to discuss it. The Department of Justice says it has passed the matter back to the RCMP to investigate.

Back at the Inuvik detachment, Cpl. Beland says he hasn't yet heard of any formal complaint. "I know the community would like to have a full-time RCMP officer there, or two, but that is way out of our hands," says Cpl. Beland with the Inuvik RCMP. "It's a larger picture than the Inuvik RCMP."

Adding salt to the wounds, last week the territorial government of Nunavut announced it would spend $3.5 million to hire 14 new RCMP officers for six detachments -- some located in communities smaller than Sachs Harbour. Each province and territory determines its own level of policing, so ultimately, the decision of whether or not a community gets more police is in the hands of the Department of Justice, says Sgt. Phil Johnson, spokesperson for the RCMP G Division in Yellowknife.

As for the community's immediate concerns, Inuvik RCMP can be prepared for an earful when they finally do get to town today.