Exploring Theme: "Commitments to Indigenous-Police Relations"

NationTalk: Ensuring Albertans are kept safe is a priority for Alberta’s government, which is why it introduced and passed the Police Amendment Act, 2022 in the fall session of 2022. This important piece of legislation is strengthening RCMP ties to the communities they serve and improving police accountability by mandating civilian governance bodies for municipalities...

Rare honour for Const. Heidi Marshall ‘just to let her know that we’re thankful,’ says Kirby Constant CBC Indigenous: At the beginning of the annual James Smith Cree Nation powwow, the bowl in the centre of the grounds spiraled with more colour than a rainbow. A group of small children, teens and adults, each in intricately...

Teen from Samson Cree Nation had called 911 for help CBC News: The news that a teenager was fatally shot by police early Friday morning has shocked many residents in communities across central Alberta.  The 15-year-old boy from Samson Cree Nation had called 911 for help, alleging people were trying to kill him, RCMP said Friday. Officers found...

Participants in this year’s Oskayak Police Academy. Windspeaker.com: The majority of students across the country are preparing to go back to school. But for about 25 Indigenous students in Alberta, Aug. 23 is actually their graduation day. They are graduating from the latest running of the Oskayak Police Academy in Edmonton. This marks the 10th...

NationTalk:The Saskatchewan RCMP responds to the recommendations resulting from the internal review process and coroners inquests relating to the mass casualty homicides that occurred at James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon, Saskatchewan, in September of 2022. See the website here. The following statement was delivered by Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, on June 6, 2024,...

Agreement discusses new public alert system, lines of communication and better transparency CBC Indigenous: The RCMP and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) have signed a memorandum of agreement meant to improve communication between police and First Nation communities in Saskatchewan. The FSIN represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. “We see situations that happen such as...

Social media heats up over the red tunic with the ribbon skirt. The image shared by the RCMP of the new ribbon skirt.  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are incorporating ribbon skirts into its uniforms. The announcement from RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme on X, formerly Twitter, was made Tuesday. “Today the RCMP officially announces the addition...

Chief Supt. Sydney Lecky leaving after a year and a half on the job  CBC Indigenous: The N.W.T’s top RCMP officer is leaving his job after less than two years in the role.  Chief Supt. Sydney Lecky will start a new job this month as chief of the Timmins Police Service in Ontario.  Lecky spoke...

10 recruits now move on to 6 months of on-the-ground training CBC Indigenous: Autumn Lowther joined the Manitoba First Nations Police Service out of a love for her community and to fight for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Her aunt Amanda Sophia Bartlett went missing in 1996. “My goal is just to protect...

Fort McMurray 468 First Nation taking hard stance against dealers NationTalk: A First Nation in northern Alberta is taking steps to control its future, and the safety of its members, in the fight against drugs. Councillors and residents in the small community of Fort McMurray 468 First Nation, 40 kilometres south of Fort McMurray, have seen an increase...

Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service Const. Kenny Big Plume on patrol on the Tsuut’ina Nation, near Calgary Photo: Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press.  Windspeaker.com: The Canadian Press – Const. Kenny Big Plume knows the snow-covered roads running through the Tsuut’ina reserve like the back of his hand. Big Plume, 33, was raised by his grandparents on the...

14 people train in conflict management, helping people in crisis CBC Indigenous: Fourteen peacekeepers graduated from a new training program and are now serving seven Mi’kmaw communities across New Brunswick, aiming to provide an alternative to enforcement-based policing. Tristan Sock is already on the job in L’nui Menuikuk, Indian Island First Nation, about 65 kilometres north of Moncton. “In my experience as soon...

NationTalk: The Canadian Police Knowledge Network (CPKN) and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) are working in collaboration with the Vancouver Police Department to host a two-day forum on Principles and Practices of Authentic Engagement with Indigenous Communities. Historically, government agencies have rarely prioritized authentic engagement with Indigenous peoples.  The relationships between public...

Local community members tell CBC what they would like to see with new unit CBC News: Some members of Indigenous communities in Ottawa have mixed feelings as the city’s police force plans to create an Indigenous unit, urging caution that more work is needed to build acceptance and understanding. On Monday, the Ottawa Police Service released its...