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INUVIK
The Public Utilities Board has approved Inuvik Gas's application to amend its rates, allowing the company to bring the increase into effect Feb. 1.

Const. Justin Sharpe is the newest addition to the Inuvik RCMP detachment. Sharpe was stationed in Hay River and Lutsel K'e before coming to town. He started his new job Dec. 30. - Miranda Scotland/NNSL photo

This will be Const. Justin Sharpe's third placement in the North. The Steinbach, Man., native started his policing career in Hay River, transferring to Lutsel K'e a year later.

So far, he said, he has really enjoyed being stationed around the NWT and is excited to build a rapport with the residents of Inuvik.

"(The North is the) best place in the world to live," Sharpe said. "It just feels like once you've been here people seem to know about you. Even if you go community to community it's a very similar atmosphere and a small town feel wherever you go within the territories itself."

Sharpe decided on policing back when he was taking a general science degree at the University of Manitoba. He was at a career fair, he said, when he stumbled upon a recruiter.

"They sold me on it so here I am today," he said. "It's a well-rounded job that's different every day ... It keeps it from being mundane. It's not just a desk job, it's not just a job on the road, it's everything."

He is joined by his wife Mary-Lynne, who he met while living in Hay River. Sharpe said he believes his wife is enjoying exploring the North just as much as he is.

"She's more than just along for the ride. In fact she picked Inuvik just as well as I did," he said. "This is our home. The Territories is our home."

On the other hand, Sharpe also sees the dark side of the North. The biggest issue facing communities here, he said, is substance abuse and the violence within relationships that often comes with it. Yet at the same time those relationships with family and friends can also be what helps people change for the better, Sharpe added.

The RCMP is there to assist too, he said, encouraging people to reach out.

"We're not the bad guy. We're not out to get them. We are here to try to find a solution and that's step number one," Sharpe said, explaining that Northerners often times don't want to share information about other residents with the police because so many are related to each other or are friends.

"Sometimes for us to get what actually happened or the proper information is like pulling teeth," Sharpe said, adding people should be able to trust the RCMP and he hopes Inuvik residents will learn to trust him. "When they call for help, we perceive it as they need help and we will do our best we can to help them so we just need them to be honest with us. That's every police officer's dream."

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