Inuvik (June 27/03) - In commemoration of 100 years of service in the North the head of the RCMP toured the territory last week.

RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli was in Inuvik last week as part of his tour of the North, in celebration of the Mounties' 100th anniversary of service the NWT. - Terry Halifax/NNSL photo

Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli visited historic sites in the Delta and met with the various detachments and the communities of Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Inuvik.

He laid wreaths in five different communities in remembrance of members who have served here and visited the graves of the Lost Patrol near Fort McPherson. Zaccardelli was very impressed by the warm welcome he'd received on his visit. He attributes the openness of the people to the long-standing bond between the members and the force.

"It's the common trust and the bonding; that's what impressed me most," Zaccardelli said.

Over the past 100 years, he said the RCMP have made many changes and are continually evolving to build better relationships. One of the biggest accomplishments here has been with community policing and he adds they also have had many successes in recruiting members from the North.

With extra funds made available from the territorial government, he said they have been able to expand on the one member detachments in small communities.

"We believe you have to have at least two members per detachment for a number of reasons," he said. "To be able to provide a better service, but also for the health and safety of our members there."

The history of the RCMP in the North is steeped in legends of heroism and adventure and he says that romance has lured many new recruits to Northern posts.

"The North has a way of creating men and women who are bigger than life," Zaccardelli said.

He adds that much of the heroism and legendary episodes came from the invaluable help of special constables and community members who aided the police on cases such as the search for the Lost Patrol and hunting down Albert Johnson, the Mad Trapper.

"The members relied heavily on the community and the special constables who came from the community," he said.

It's been the stuff of legend, books, movies and tales of great heroism, he says, but not without human error.

"The RCMP is an integral part of this country; it's part of the fabric of this country," he said. "Part of that fabric is heroic and some of it is less than heroic, because we have made mistakes."

As for the next 100 years, Zaccardelli sees much benefit, but also the negative effects of a looming economic boom in the Delta.

"We have to work together to minimize those effects and maximize the positive effects," he said.

With the money also follows an inevitable influx of hard drugs that will follow the boom.

As for the recent proposed changes to decriminalization of marijuana, he says the RCMP have adopted the same stance as the Canadian Association for Chiefs of Police.

"We are not against the decriminalization of very small amounts of marijuana, but believe that this country needs a comprehensive drug strategy."

He says more money is needed in drug prevention, education and research into the effects of marijuana.

"We don't know; the scientific evidence isn't there to tell us what are the negative effects of marijuana," he said.

"We should have the scientific research before and then you'll be in a better position to say what types of laws should be changed," he said. "Let's get the information before we change the law."

He feels the greatest successes in policing the North have come from a balance between enforcement and building a relationship within the communities. It's that relationship that has touched him the most in his visit here and something he'll take with him when he returns to Ottawa.

"I'll leave the North as a better commissioner and a better human being than when I came here."