RCMP seeking more employees
Iqaluit councillor suggests more patrols
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, August 17, 2015
NUNAVUT
A lack of funding for more police officers is the number-one impediment to major improvements in Nunavut and the capital's policing, the territory's top officer told Iqaluit council last week.
Chief Supt. Michael Jeffrey, who introduced himself to council after taking over the role last November, said lack of resources stifle the RCMP.
He had a study done on Nunavut policing after taking over the position.
"It clearly indicates for Iqaluit there is a need for four to eight additional police officers," said Jeffrey.
Nunavut has some of the highest crime rates in the country, a fact Jeffrey told council. Mayor Mary Wilman indicated she didn't need to be reminded about the fact.
"We are very aware of the high rate," said Wilman.
She wondered aloud if the RCMP could take a different approach to policing.
"People all across Canada are saying housing them behind bars is not helping," said Wilman.
Jeffrey agreed that change and improvement is necessary, but said funding is the impediment to that.
"The challenge is that sometimes crime is so high that the police don't have time to get out and do education and prevention and things that we want to do," he said.
The safest communities in Nunavut, Jeffrey added, are the ones where residents have a lot of activities to occupy their time, instead of being bored and looking for entertainment through other means.
Jeffrey has experience working in Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq and has regularly travelled between communities.
Coun. Joanasie Akumalik advocated for foot and bike patrols. He said he has brought the issue up with the RCMP repeatedly but hasn't seen any follow through.
"I'm getting a little bit frustrated about it," said Akumalik. "To me, it's really going to help."
He also recommended more community events that bring people closer to the RCMP.
Coun. Simon Nattaq, speaking in Inuktitut, said he sees young people roaming the shores and beach too often.
"It is sad that we have all these high rates of crime," he said.
He wants to go back to a time years ago, when, according to him, crime was nearly nonexistent.
Moving forward has to be a co-operative effort, he added.
Coun. Noah Papatsie suggested a Neighbourhood Watch.
"Our tradition is based on working with the community, doing prevention, education and not just being in our offices and arresting people," said Jeffrey. "That's one of the things I want us to continue to do throughout Nunavut."
Jeffrey told Akumalik he couldn't agree more on the importance of bike and foot patrols, saying it helps police find out what's going on in the community before bad things happen.
"I can't tell you that we're going to put bike patrols in place," he added.
Although he's open to suggestions and wants to enhance community involvement with the RCMP, Jeffrey repeated that the heart of the issue is a lack of resources.
