PAGC explores First Nations-led police service amid response concerns

A symposium in Prince Albert is exploring the idea of creating an Indigenous police force run by the Prince Albert Grand Council.

“All the 12 nations across Prince Albert Grand Council has an issue with policing,” said Chief Bart Tsannie of Hatchet Lake Denesuline First Nation to a small crowd of reporters at Thursday’s policing symposium.

Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) hosted a symposium at Art Hauser in Prince Albert to discuss the proposed development of a PAGC police service.

“We’re wrapping up the study, the end of the month is our deadline,” said PAGC Vice Chief Joseph Tsannie, who has been working on this project for years.

“We have the report that’s been endorsed by the chiefs of the Grand Council, so the next phase is making sure communities understand what it is to take over such a police force.”

Tsannie said that while the proposed policing model may take more than a decade to set up, PAGC is laying the groundwork and has been conducting a study to examine what a regional police service would look like regarding funding and operations.

The CEO of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Mohammed Hashim, voiced support for the endeavour.

“The potential implications of this decision are being evaluated with significant due diligence, which is incredible to see,” said Hashim. “Because what is coming out of it, is a sense of desire for self-determination.”

A presentation on the study said some of PAGC’s northern communities are an hour from the nearest RCMP detachment.

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) Councillor Clarisse Lecoq told reporters response times are an issue for PBCN.

“It takes a while to, you know, to connect to RCMP because you have to phone the main office in Regina, it’s not a local number” she explained. “Then they have to wait and wait til they get the service they want, and by the time they reach to that certain crime, whatever, it’s too late.”

Tsannie would like to see the proposed PAGC service work with the RCMP when needed.

“If there’s a need there, I expect the RCMP to step up and be there. If the RCMP needs us, then we’ll be there to support. So, not to fight over jurisdiction, but to have that common goal to make our communities safe.”

PAGC community leaders say that First Nations policing could help with situational awareness, language barriers and response times, along with providing a career path for youth in the grand council’s member nations.