Yellowknife (Mar 24/03) - Two years may be too short a time for RCMP to be posted in Nunavut communities according to Kugluktuk MLA Donald Havioyak.

Recruits who join the Nunavut RCMP V Division contract for four years, which they split between two Nunavut communities. V division is the Nunavut branch of the RCMP.

The issue was brought to the forefront by Havioyak at the start of the sixth legislative assembly.

His concern came after the community of Kugluktuk petitioned to have two RCMP members stay longer than the standard two years.

Havioyak was concerned the two-year posting was not giving RCMP members the time necessary to form a bond with residents of the community. His perspective is being supported by Kugluktuk's hamlet.

"It's a bit of a concern when you get people that have been active in the community and have been positive in the community. It's detrimental to lose them," said senior administrator with the hamlet, Barry Calshaw.

There is also evidence of the problem in other Nunavut communities.

Const. Paul Paquin is an RCMP member in Arviat whose two-year placement will conclude this year.

When he started in Arviat there wasn't a drug and alcohol awareness program being offered in the community.

Paquin has Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education training (DARE), which allowed him to offer the program to local students. After two years, the DARE program in Arviat is considered a tremendous success.

However, there is uncertainty if the program will continue next year after Paquin leaves. DARE requires a trained RCMP officer to deliver the program.

"It's a concern. You get things up and running and it's time to go and you never know if your replacement will have the same training," he said.

Const. Annie Keenainak is a new recruit in V division. She has been in Rankin Inlet for a month.

She thinks the two-year rotation is a good idea.

"I like the idea. It gives you the opportunity to see different communities and meet different people," she said.

V Division Staff Sgt. Mike Jeffrey said the rotation is the most effective way to meet operational needs in Nunavut.

Jeffrey has been working in Nunavut for six years and he said the rotation works.

"Two years is satisfactory time to build relationships in the community and do effective police work," he said.

As well, he added, the members can take knowledge gained in the first communities to augment service at there next posting. In cases where member have implemented programs such as DARE, Jeffrey said the RCMP strive to place a DARE officer in every community.