SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife RCMP are planning on having more boots on the ground downtown this summer, and they're starting by putting those boots on a pair of bike pedals.

RCMP say they plan on having a bigger presence downtown and on the trails this summer. Above, city bylaw officers Adam Mahaffy (right) and Mike Garbowicz during a patrol last summer. - NNSL file photo

Insp. Frank Gallagher, the city's detachment commander, said they've purchased two new bicycles, bringing the detachment's total to four.

"They'll be patrolling the downtown area, getting around the back alleys ... places where police cars can't go," said Gallagher.

The move is a response to public concerns about safety downtown. Gallagher said his officers will be striving to interact with the public more and increase their visibility downtown.

The detachment has also secured a van, which Gallagher said will be used to pick up people arrested by officers on foot or bicycle.

Gallagher said they won't be piling people inside the van like a paddy waggon, but rather roving around town to pick up offenders so patrol cars can be available for other calls.

But Lydia Bardak, executive director of the John Howard Society in Yellowknife, said the move is reminiscent of the months before the Royal Visit in 2011, when police cleared street people out of the downtown core.

"If it's to target a specific population ... they've done it before and they've always failed at it," Bardak said.

While she praised Gallagher's efforts to increase the police presence downtown since taking the reins in Yellowknife a year ago, she hopes it doesn't lead to street people spending more time in jail.

"You can't criminalize social issues. They'll still be unemployed, homeless with addictions," she said.

Gallagher confirmed part of the effort would be to displace drunk, disorderly people from downtown.

"We want to try and ensure that the downtown core of intoxicated people are removed from those areas," he said.

With Yellowknife's only day shelter scheduled to close at the end of May, Gallagher said he's concerned about the amount of minor crimes like public intoxication and mischief spilling out onto the streets over the summer. But, he added, his plans for more bikes and a police van were in place before he knew of the closure.

Bardak, who used to oversee the shelter, said it's "insane" it will remain closed over the summer.

"They all still need a place to go, and they still need a bathroom," she said.

The shelter clocked about 70 visitors a day, regardless of the season, Bardak confirmed.

Gallagher said he hopes the bike patrols and police van free up more resources for what he believes will be a busy season.