SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The city is hoping that its bylaw officers will have more powers to deal with public drunkenness in the near future.

Bylaw officer Const. Greg Brown makes a radio call from his truck in the city's parking lot. The city is currently asking the GNWT to amend the liquor act so that bylaw can pick up intoxicated people and confiscate open liquor. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo

Dennis Marchiori, director of public safety, said administration has approached the territorial government to request that bylaw officers be allowed to arrest people who are intoxicated in public.

He said the city has also asked for its officers to have the power to confiscate open alcohol when they pull over vehicles.

As it stands, bylaw officers do not have the powers to enforce any aspects of the NWT Liquor Act. Whenever they see an infraction being committed they must contact the RCMP rather than taking action themselves.

“All we're trying to do is say, 'we have the ability.' We have six members that are patrolling the streets downtown and see a lot of stuff when they're doing traffic,”said Marchiori.

Granting additional powers to bylaw officers to enforce the Liquor Act would require legislative changes at the territorial level. Marchiori said the Department of Finance is currently reviewing the legislation and evaluating how changes to the act would affect the rest of the territory.

“It's really dependent on the Department of Finance and what they can get done within their own framework,” said Marchiori.

Marchiori added that with devolution currently taking place, making changes to the Liquor Act will likely be fairly low on the GNWT's priority list.

Larry Frolick, communications officer for the Department of Finance, did not return a request for comment by press time.

Marchiori said the RCMP have also been involved in discussions with the city regarding the expansion of bylaw's powers. He said one concerns that has been raised is that RCMP cells would become overcrowded if bylaw were picking up intoxicated people.

However, Marchiori suggested that if the RCMP weren't “busy with more serious calls they would probably be picking these people up anyways.”

“It's a strain on two different enforcement agencies because the RCMP is often busy as well,” said Marchiori.

“We thought it would be a good thing to help so that both agencies could do this work.”

Marchiori said giving bylaw the power to pick-up intoxicated people would be especially helpful in the winter when people are at risk of freezing to death.

“It's for their own safety,” said Marchiori.