Gun crime soaring
Statistics raise doubts whether safety message is getting through
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Monday, June 19, 2017
NUNAVUT
Is Nunavut a safer place after years of campaigns promoting safe firearms storage and trigger locks?
Trigger locks and cable locks, as shown on rifles here, can prevent the hasty use of firearms by an angered individual or misuse by children. - photo courtesy of Iqaluit RCMP |
That is a question some Nunavummiut are pondering following a rash of gun crimes and statistics that seem to indicate a worsening problem.
In 2016, RCMP dealt with incidents involving a firearm about once every 1.7 days.
In 2012, when then-RCMP Chief Supt. Steve McVarnock announced the start of a multi-year firearms safety blitz with the aim of having a trigger lock on every firearm in the territory, the rate of gun calls was approximately one every four days.
The steps outlined in 2012 included town halls, a gun safety video to be distributed to communities, partnerships with the departments of Environment and Justice to have their workers help spread the word, distributing military-issued storage lockers to Canadian Rangers to lock up their rifles and giving away trigger locks for every gun in Nunavut, amounting to an estimated 11,000 of the safety devices.
As of late May, the RCMP had visited 10 communities, going door-to-door to inform residents about safe gun storage and handing out the trigger locks. Radio announcements are made and notices are posted in the communities as well. Schools and hunters and trappers organizations are also included in the gun safety education campaigns.
Those who aren't home when the police come knocking can pick up trigger locks at the local detachment, said Sgt. David Lawson, outgoing media liaison for 'V' Division.
In the legislative assembly earlier this month, Health Minister George Hickes, whose staff are also aiding the gun safety campaign, said the Government of Nunavut has contributed $180,000 towards the trigger locks initiative. He said the objective is for every Nunavut household to receive a visit by the end of 2018.
In addition, the RCMP have a goal of training two firearms safety officers in every Nunavut community. Five years ago there were only three people in Nunavut qualified to deliver firearms safety courses; as of May there were 70.
Grise Fiord, Clyde River and Kugaaruk still lack qualified individuals, while six other communities only have a single firearms safety officer. 'V' Division is hoping to address those deficiencies by the fall, according to a statement from the RCMP.
Despite the ongoing gun safety education campaigns, there have been several firearms incidents in various Nunavut communities over the past few months, including the pointing of weapons at others, unsafe shooting and one death.
"Critical firearms incidents are always a concern for us and (it's) extremely unfortunate when these sometimes end as they have very recently in our communities," stated RCMP Staff Sgt. Mark Crowther in Iqaluit, who reiterated the need for greater firearms safety awareness.
In Iglulik, a man was charged with pointing and unsafely shooting a firearm on May 27, less than a month after an Iglulik teenager was arrested for allegedly pointing a rifle at another individual. Iglulik Mayor Celestino Uyarak puts the onus squarely on gun owners to follow the law.
"If I own a gun, it's my responsibility to have this firearm be in a safe place and locked," Uyarak said. "I don't know why these rifles seem to be so available in these houses."
"When a patient walks in there, the patient is afraid to be seen by (other residents)," he said. "It makes it more difficult for the mental health nurse to deal with patients."
Life-and-death situations take their toll on police officers as well, Crowther acknowledged. Following a standoff or a firearms incident that could involve serious harm or death, Mounties are approached by others within the police force to discuss the incident. They may be given time off to rest and relax and they may be encouraged to seek professional counselling, according to Crowther.
The RCMP kicked off a five-year mental health strategy in 2014 that includes mandatory training to bring more attention to mental health issues and support services available to officers and their families.
"We must talk openly about mental health," Crowther said. "The RCMP has zero tolerance for the out-dated attitude that mental health injuries are not real and is countering such attitudes with education and awareness."
