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2 1,11 Solicitor General Solliciteur général Canada Canada NOVEMBER 1994 N 0. 2 CanacM MESSAGE FROM THE HONOURABLE HERB GRAY Since assuming my duties as Solicitor General, I have had the pleasure of signing eight tripartite policing agreements under the federal First Nations Policing Policy. This brings the number of signed agreements since the program was launched in 1992 to nineteen. This figure represents steady progress. But it is also important to remember that the First Nations Policing Program is not just about signing agreements. Every agreement is designed to encourage professionalism and excellence in policing through training and the establishing of oversight mechanisms and policing standards. These are the pillars that support every professional police service in Canada, Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal. A case in point is the Unamali Tribal Police Service in Cape Breton. The service was established under an agreement signed on July 12, 1994, and is the fi rst "rbe Solicitor General or Canadia, Ierh independent First Gray, wapiti.. Mil«man Grami Cnief Ben Sind bey at the signing of the 11.11namarlici Nations Police Service agreement in... (-Ape Moto', Post in Atlantic Canada. Most of the new constables of the service are graduates of the RCMP Training Academy in Regina and all are now undertaking field training with the RCMP in Nova Scotia. They bring to their jobs as police officers not just their unique cultural heritage and perspective on policing but also a standard of training comparable with any police service in Canada. The agreement also provides for a police governance authority, the Unamali Board of Police Commissioners, to ensure police accountability and to help develop policing standards and procedures. The Unama'ki agreement is typical of every agreement signed to date in that it demonstrates that the First Nations Policing Program is as much about implementing and maintaining professional policing standards as it is about negotiating policing agreements. We hope that as First Nations policing services take root across Canada, feedback from the officers on the ground and police boards and commissions will help us develop research and pilot projects that answer the needs of First Nations police services, particularly in the areas of training and policing standards. This is all part and parcel of the government's commitment to work in partnership with First Nations to bring about major reforms to the criminal justice system to accommodate the unique cultural needs of Aboriginal people. The federal First Nations Policing Policy is one way in which we can do this. I look forward to working in continued cooperation and partnership with First Nations across Canada and the provinces and territories to ensure safety and security for on-reserve communities. TRAINING PROGRAMS SOON AVAILABLE FOR FIRST NATIONS POLICE OFFICERS First Nations police officers will soon have access to specialized training as a result of two new projects launched in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. In B.C., First Nations, with the help of funding from the Aboriginal Policing Directorate, are developing curriculae for the creation of the Aboriginal Nations Training Institute. The proposed new institute would be located in Vancouver at the Justice Institute of B.C. and would offer a standardized police training program for recruits where special emphasis would be placed on policing in First Nation communities. This latter category will include courses in Aboriginal heritage and cultural awareness and field training in First Nations communities. CONTINUED ON PAGE The First Nations Policing Upclate is, in occasional bulletin designed to share information and to update readers on Important developments in First Nations policing. Feedback on the Update is welcome and letters or calls should be directed to: Aboriginal Policing Directorate, Solicitor General Canada, 340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawi. Ontario KIA OPS (613) 99 I t Cat. no.: JS42-58/1994 ISBN:

3 G O N T 1 N U E D F R O M P A G E Recruits will not only have to meet the same standards and rigid criteria as non-first Nations police but will also have the unique opportunity to learn more about First Nation Practice and custom. In Saskatchewan, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) has set up a task force to investigate the type of training package best suited to future First Nations policing services. There are no self-administered First Nations policing services in Saskatchewan at present but the FSIN anticipates there will be a need for adequately and culturally trained officers in the very near future. Although the project is still in the developmental stage, early indications are that training will be combined with courses offered at the RCMP Academy in Regina and other courses offered at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College in Saskatoon. Training now under consideration by the task force includes a compulsory native studies course for all recruits and specialized training to sensitize recruits to the cultural dimensions of working in First Nations communities. For more information about these projects contact: British Columbia Saskatchewan Mike Leach Ken Jamont (604) (306) G1NG off SA70N TIO A ÇE^^A^M^N^S'TERE^ i2oljce SE/WA WL COMPARESON OF TrA/O COMNIUNA7E unning a police service is a complex task. Making the transition ^ from a police service provided by an outside agency to a selfadministered police service does not happen overnight; it requires time, patience and input from a variety of sources providing relevant and knowledgeable advice. Two First Nations police services are demonstrating that with the help of a good transition plan the task of taking on responsibility for a selfadministered police service can be managed in an efficient manner. The Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN) Police Service in northern Ontario was established by an agreement signed on April 1, Under the terms of the agreement, the NAN police service will eventually be fully responsible for providing police services to 46 communities. These responsibilities will include internal administrative and management duties, such as administering a pension plan and benefits that are an essential part of any police service. Before the agreement was signed, police services for these communities were provided and administered by the Ontario Provincial Police. To ensure a smooth transition two implementation committees were established - a transition committee and an operational transfer committee. The transition committee has representatives from NAN and the federal and provincial governments and its task is to ensure the accurate interpretation of the agreement. If disagreements over roles, actions or responsibilities arise the committee develops solutions that are acceptable to all three parties. The operational committee is composed of senior OPP officers and the Director of the NAN Police Service. Its role is to help the police service handle problems arising out of day-to-day administration. This includes problems relating to resources, personnel, training and the transferring of court files. The NAN transition process is still in the early stages but is working well largely because of the two committees and the fact that the NAN police service possesses many officers with extensive policing experience. The entire transition process is expected to take four years. In contrast to NAN is the Siksika First Nation in Alberta. The Siksika Police Service was established in 1992 and has nearly completed its transition process. At the outset the Siksika Police Service was composed of relatively new police officers. To offset this lack of experience two committees, different in composition and structure from NAN, were created to oversee the transition process. The first, an implementation committee, includes representation from the federal government, the Chief and Deputy-Chief of the Siksika Police Service, an Officer-in-Charge, the Detachment Commander, a line inspector from the RCMP and a member of the Siksika Police Commission. Over the transition period the committee met twice a month to discuss the progress of internal investigations, responses to training initiatives, equipment, resources and the ongoing work of transferring policing responsibility from the RCMP to the Siksika Police Service. In short, the committee served as the community's police services advisory team. The second committee, the review committee, is composed of more senior advisors including members of the police commission, the Director of Law Enforcement for the Province of Alberta, and an RCMP Chief Superintendent. Their collective responsibility is to put into action recommendations from the implementation committee and to monitor the general progress of the police service. Drawing on their own considerable experience the members of the committee are also able to offer advice on problem areas and help develop solutions. The implementation committee will be disbanded when Siksika assumes full control of its police service in September. However, the review committee will remain in place for another year to provide ongoing guidance and advice. The progression to a self-administered police service is made easier by moving in stages so that participants are well prepared for their new tasks and reponsibilities. The experience of both NAN and Siksika have demonstrated this and shown the value of forming committees composed of people with considerable expertise and experience in policing to guide and oversee the transition process. In the end, the added input from these people will help make the transition a smooth and successful process for everyone involved. A

4 PILOT PROJECT C FIFIElreS FAMILY "V1101.1ENCE TRAINING Fare IFIRST NATIONS POLICE OFIF10ERS Family violence is an issue that all police officers have to face but for First Nations police officers it is a particularly serious problem. Dealing with family violence on-reserve often places greater expectations on First Nations police officers than it does their urban counterparts. First Nation police officers serve not only as enforcers of the law, but act as listeners and referral agencies, as well as provide a genuine level of caring and support to those who have suffered through the trauma of abuse in small, close-knit communities. That is why the Canadian Police College (CPC) recently staged a pilot course in Cornwall, Ont., entitled First Nations Senior Investigators/ Family Violence Course. The course grew out of the findings of studies, completed in 1993, by the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association and as part of the Family Violence Initiatives of the Solicitor General of Canada. In both studies, officers who police First Nations communities felt it was essential that they receive more training to deal with issues such as family violence and suicide. Based on the findings of the reports and with funding from the federal Aboriginal Policing Directorate, the CPC was able to develop a training course specific to the needs of First Nations police officers. The course was designed and developed by Sgt. Raymond Cusson of the RCMP with the assistance of the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association. Twenty-five officers from First Nations police services across eastern Canada attended the pilot course. The course was also an opportunity for First Nations offiers from different communities to meet and exchange experiences. "It really helps when you can participate in a program and meet other officers_ just to know they are there to help means something," said Constable Albert Williams of Garden River First Nation, Ont. During the three-week course officers were taught the proper investigative techniques for dealing with family violence through role playing and exercises. This included confronting the perpetrator, supporting the victims of family violence and attempting to guide both victim and aggressor toward the proper community resources. By the end of the training session, the officers were expected to return to their respective communities and develop a protocol on family violence. "We're expected to return and talk to our Chief and social workers and establish a family violence protocol specific to people who live on-reserve... This is why the course is so useful. We are being taught by our own people about issues that are specific to our own people," said Constable Marianne Darling of Sagamok First Nation, Ont. The CPC intends to run the course again in Western Canada in the fall of For more information, please contact David Sunahara at the Canadian Police College, (613) The user report series is produced by the Aboriginal Policing Directorate of the Ministry of the Solicitor General of Canada. The series is intended to provide information to First Nation communities, First Nations police services, provincial governments, academics and other interested parties, on a range of issues concerning First Nations policing. The following reports are now available: Developing Crime Prevention Strategies in Aboriginal Communities First Nation Tripartite Agreements, vols. 1 and 2 Inventory of Aboriginal Policing Programs in Canada Part 1. Aboriginal Police Officer Development and Policing Part 2. Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Part 3. Increasing Access to Policing Services Part 4. Police Community Communication and Liaison Part 5. Focus on Youth Part 6. Taking Action Against Substance Abuse Part 7. Meeting the Needs of Victims and Offenders Policing Services for Aboriginal Peoples Aboriginal Policing Issues: A Comparison of Canada and Australia Copy(ies) of these reports are available from: Aboriginal Policing Directorate, Solicitor General of Canada, 340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0 P8 Phone: Fax: IlltEGINZNYIAL REPS The Aboriginal Policing Directorate now has six regional representatives in place across Canada to ensure that First Nations have access to the First Nations Policing Program (FNPP). The representatives represent the federal government in negotiations with First Nations and the provinces. They also have the authority to negotiate agreements with both parties for the establishment of First Nations policing services. If you would like to know more about the First Nations Policing Program, please contact the Aboriginal Policing Representative for your region: Yukon and B. C. (604) FAX (604) Alberta and N.W T (403) FAX (403) Quebec (514) FAX (514) Ontario (613) FAX (613) Saskatchewan-Manitoba (306) FAX (306) Atlantic (613) FAX (613)

5 Fi RSF NATIONS POLICING PROGRA5LIVI 1J P D AT E Since the last edition of the First Nations Policing Update (September 1993), eight more tripartite policing agreements have been signed. This brings the total to 19 agreements covering approxiamately 160 communities since the First Nations Policing Program was launched in The latest agreements are: Wikwemikong Police Service: The Wikwemikong agreement was signed in January, 1994 in the community of Wikwemikong on Georgian Bay in southeastern Ontario. The agreement transfers responsibility for policing on Wikwemikong territories from First Nation constables supervised by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to the Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service. Ten constables are covered under the terms of the agreement. Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service: This is the largest tripartite agreement signed to date and covers 46 communities in northern Ontario. Under the terms of the agreement, implemented April 14, 1994, police services will be transferred from the OPP to the NAN Police Service in three separate phases. Under Phase 1 NAN has already taken full responsibility for the policing of eight communities. Anishnabek Regional Police Service: This agreement, signed last winter, covers five communities in the Georgian Bay area of Ontario (all members of the Union of Ontario Indians). The agreement provides for the transition from First Nations constables administered by the OPP to an independent Anishnabek Regional Police Service. Ahousaht: Ahousaht is a Nu-chal-nuth community located off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Under the agreement signed March 10, 1994, two Aboriginal members of the RCMP-First Nations Community Policing Service (FNCPS) have assumed responsibility for the policing of Ahousaht. This is the first all-aboriginal RCMP satellite detachment in B.C. A community consultative committee has also been established to help identify policing issues in the community. Little Pine Poundmaker: This is the first community tripartite agreement to be signed under a framework agreement covering 72 communities that was put in place last year by the federal and provincial governments and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN). The agreement ensures that three members of the RCMP-FNCPS will be dedicated to working in the community. Unamiki Tribal Police Service: This agreement signed July 12, 1994, establishes the first independent First Nations police service in Atlantic Canada. The 15 officers of the Unama'ki Tribal Police Service will provide police services to five Mi'lcmaq communities in Cape Breton. Kitasoo-Xaixais Agreement: This agreement, signed on June 15, 1994, establishes the Kitasoo-Xaixais Public Safety Department. Through the services of a Public Safety Officer, the department will provide first response policing, fire and medical emergenc-y services to the remote village of Klemtu, an isolated community located on Swindle Island, British Columbia. Interim Dakota-Ojibway Tribal Council (DOTC) Policing Agreement: Signed May 19, 1994, this agreement sees the restoration of police services for seven DOTC communities through a joint RCMP-DOTC policing arrangement. The agreement also provides for the negotiation of a longterm agreement for the DOTC police service. Since 1992, four framework agreements for the RCMP-First Nations Community Policing Service (FNCPS) have also been signed in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and the Yukon. These agreements provide a basis for the federal, provincial and territorial governments to fund on-reserve RCMP-FNCPS police services. They also create a framework for the negotiation of individual community policing agreements. Copies of these agreements are available upon request from the Aboriginal Policing Directorate. CONINIUJIMITIF COIVSMAJE3ILES IX) ellssist THE ItC.JVIIIIP IN 'TIIIIE Cs mmunity constables will soon be helping the RCMP police iolated communities in the Northwest Territories. The new Constables (pictured at the RCMP Academy in Regina) are part of a pilot project jointly funded by the federal government and the Northwest Territories. The three-year project will evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of employing civilian residents under the RCMP Act to assist the RCMP on an "as needed" basis in policing small and isolated communities. Fort Good Hope and Coral Harbour, NWT are the first communities to take part in the project. The new community constables received four weeks training at the RCMP Academy to prepare them for their new duties. 4