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Three Kivalliq residents join RCMP

Trio will spend some time in home communities before receiving postings

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Oct 23/02) - Nunavut's RCMP force has added a little Kivalliq seasoning for good taste.

Arviat's Jamie Savikataaq and Rankin Inlet's George Henrie and Sylvia Sharp were among 11 officers to graduate from the RCMP training academy in Regina Oct. 10.

The three will get a chance to spend a bit of time in their home communities before they receive their first postings sometime during the next two months.

Henrie, 20, will be taking some academic courses at Nunavut Arctic College's Kivalliq campus until he receives word on his posting.

"The overall course was tough," says Henrie.

"I found the physical aspects of it both fun and challenging."

Henrie says every aspect of the program had its own challenges, but he enjoyed police sciences the most.

"I really enjoyed studying the Criminal Code of Canada, as well as the actual dynamics of police work.

"It was quite interesting to learn the different aspects of police work, especially areas like proper risk assessment, and physical signs you can read in people that may tip you off as to what they're thinking in a given situation."

Henrie says the three Kivalliq members developed a close relationship with their fellow officers in the program.

"We worked together as equals and everyone helped each other get through."

Savikataaq, 19, says the training taught him a lot about life, in addition to the policing skills.

The rookie officer says he was influenced towards joining the RCMP by Inuit members coming to his school to talk about the force.

"I remember David Aglukark Jr. coming to my class in Grade 9 and he inspired me to become a RCMP officer," says Savikataaq.

"From then on that's all I wanted to do."

Savikataaq says the training program changed for him about two months in when his instructor appointed him the troop's right marker.

He says the position comes with a lot of responsibility, including dealing with everyone's problems and concerns.

"I was the main guy for our instructor to talk to when they needed to get a message across to everybody.

"And, I was also the guy who got yelled at the most because I was in charge of the troop.

"I heard about every mistake."