BAKER LAKE - While the benefits to the community are many, the dark side of success may be starting to show in Baker Lake.

RCMP in Baker Lake have dealt with almost double the number of complaints and prisoners in the first three months of 2010 as compared to the same time last year. - NNSL file photo

The RCMP workload in Baker has almost doubled in the past year as mining and exploration pumps additional income into the community.

In the first three months of 2009, the RCMP dealt with 108 files and 36 prisoners.

During that same time in 2010, the Baker force had 211 files and 70 prisoners.

Part of the problem is new money bringing more of an old problem into the community - booze and drugs.

Increased drug and alcohol use, coupled with stress from new jobs, have led to a spike in spousal assaults.

RCMP Cpl. Kent McEachern said some families can't put food on the table, despite their increased income.

He said too much of the money being made is spent on liquor and drugs.

"These mine projects can be a great thing for the community, but only if they're done right," said McEachern.

"Unfortunately, many communities like Baker aren't used to this kind of money and not sure how to handle it.

"It's all disposable income because they haven't had this kind of money before."

McEachern said there's been a lot of positive changes brought on by the new jobs, but a dark side is starting to emerge, as well.

He said people have to start making better choices with the money they earn.

"This town is changing and it's changing fast.

"We don't see the positive stuff in our office.

"We get the negative stuff, which is a shame."

Alcohol is controlled in Baker, with legal-age drinkers able to order either 48 beer, two 40-ouncers or five bottles of wine once a week.

Drugs get in mostly through the postal service.

McEachern said cops need to receive information from a reliable source to initiate a mail search.

He said forms have to be given to Canada Post before packages headed to a suspect's mailbox can be intercepted.

"The packages are sent to a search centre to be opened, and any drugs found are seized.

"There's a privacy expectation, so we're not allowed to open the packages right in the community.

"I wish we could do that, but we can't."

Marijuana is still the drug of choice in Baker, and, while police have heard talk of cocaine being in town, they haven't seen any yet.

Not every problem is caused by booze and dope.

Police are seeing more non-alcohol-related domestic violence being caused by stress factors.

McEachern said working 12-hour shifts is a new experience for many locals at the mine.

He said those shifts are hard on anyone who hasn't really worked before, and brings a lot of stress with it.

"You're tired and burned-out when you come out after two weeks because you're not used to it.

"You come home to a wife who's tired from caring for the kids alone and she wants you to help out with the kids so she can relax.

"It puts a lot of stress on a family because, whether it's the wife working up there or the husband, you don't have your spouse to help out."

A counsellor in Baker Lake spoke to Kivalliq News on the condition of anonymity.

The counsellor said front-line workers help clients deal with many issues in the community, including youth, substance and relationship-based issues.

While front-line workers have definitely seen an increase in the number of clients, it's unclear whether that stems from the extra money in town or the fact many people are now coming forward to take advantage of the help services available in Baker.

But there has been a noticeable trend developing among some couples, when one works at the mine.

"In regards to relationship issues, I'm seeing a lot of jealousy," said the counsellor.

"People are not really trusting their partners when they go up to the mine for two weeks, especially when it's a coed camp and there's women there cooking and cleaning.

"That's a common theme with relationship issues and there's also extra money now for drugs and alcohol.

"We've been seeing a lot of domestic violence and it seems to come back to that."

A counsellor sometimes has to ask clients if it's worth being in a relationship with no trust.

The challenge can be to get couples to see their relationship in different ways.

"It might be time to look at other options if a relationship is causing more stress than anything else, especially if there's jealousy issues and a lot of messy domestic fights," said the counsellor.

"A counsellor doesn't have any authority to say they can't be in contact with each other, and we have confidentiality, but there are limits.

"If I feel someone is in danger of hurting themselves, their partner or their kids, I would be required to report that."