Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (May 06/01) - The territorial government allocated $3.5 million in this year's budget to beefing up the police force with 14 new officers.

By the end of May, Nunavut's V Division will have extra staff in high-crime communities, no one-officer detachments and six new relief officers. A two-person detachment is also opening in Repulse Bay.

Beefing up the force Arviat, Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk each get an extra officer due to increasing crime. Detachments in Grise Fiord, Kimmirut and Kugaaruk go from one officer to two. Six new relief positions throughout the territory. A two-officer detachment opens in Repulse Bay.

But the extra funding still leaves two communities, Whale Cove and Chesterfield Inlet, without a police presence.

"For the communities we're in, we're adequately staffed," said Nunavut's commanding RCMP officer, Vern White. "It puts us in good shape."

However, he acknowledged that Whale Cove and Chesterfield Inlet have requested detachments since the late 1980s.

And although the two communities are small, other comparable communities have two-person detachments.

Vern said he is working with the Department of Justice to get police into both communities in the next several years.

"This isn't something we're forgetting about," he said. "I think they deserve detachments."

A recent incident in Chesterfield Inlet proves his point. On May 1, two male suspects broke into a Chesterfield Inlet home, assaulting the homeowner. The victim managed to escape, but suffered severe injuries.

Police in Rankin Inlet charged one adult and one youth with assault causing bodily harm, break and enter, mischief, threats, obstruction of justice and unlawful confinement.

In Whale Cove, deputy mayor Eva Angoo said her community needs officers to do something about domestic violence, theft and bootlegging.

"When booze is in town, ladies are scared and nervous of their husbands," said Angoo.

"We've been fighting for this for so many years."

Angoo said it is important to have a police officer in every community.

"We need a safe environment and people have to see there is someone to help," she added.

"Every community should be equally served."