Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Friday, January 29, 2007

FORT SMITH - The RCMP is checking out complaints about policing in Fort Smith.

At a Jan. 4 public meeting attended by about 70 people, police heard numerous complaints, including three of particular note.

One person told of a Yellowknife dispatcher advising a caller to wait 10 minutes to see what happened when a woman was being assaulted in the street. Another person accused the RCMP of turning a blind eye to prominent seniors drinking and driving. A third told of waiting two hours for a constable to answer a call, only to be told he had to take a shower before responding.

"It's certainly important that we follow up on those things," said Insp. Parker Kennedy, the district policing officer for "G" Division.

The Yellowknife-based inspector said he will be receiving a written report from the detachment commander. That report will be partly based on interviews conducted with the complainants.

Kennedy said it is too early to know where the investigations will lead.

However, he noted that, in the instance of the allegation against the dispatch centre, tapes are kept for two years.

If the investigation confirms the allegation, he said, "We'll certainly be accountable for it."

However, Kennedy added the dispatch operators are highly professional and well-trained.

The results of the investigations will be made known to the people who made the complaints, but Kennedy said it would be inappropriate for police to make the specific findings public. Instead, he said police will only talk in general terms publicly.

However, he said the people involved could discuss the results of the investigations, if they choose. "That certainly is their prerogative."

The inspector noted the acting sergeant in Fort Smith has had a meeting with the whole detachment to address the concerns raised at the meeting.

A move is also underway in Fort Smith to form a police advisory committee to help the RCMP better communicate with the community and respond to concerns about criminal activity.

Kennedy said he expected to be in the community in mid-February to help form the committee.

"We want to involve the people," he said, adding more public meetings will likely be held.

Cathy Lepine was one of the people who raised a complaint at the Jan. 4 meeting, and has since been interviewed by police.

"Hopefully, they might get something done," she said.

Lepine is a taxi driver who told of calling police when she witnessed a late-night break-in, only to wait two hours until a constable had a shower before responding.

She is not sure what is going to happen as a result of the complaints, but she is hoping there will be improvements in police service.

Lepine said she has submitted her name to become involved in the police advisory committee.

The Jan. 4 meeting was a positive exercise, she said. "I hope we don't wait to have another meeting like this."

Currently, the Fort Smith detachment is short a sergeant and a constable. At full staff, it would have a sergeant, corporal and seven constables.

The vacancies are expected to be filled by April or May.