Properly fund Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service, MP tells feds
Lenny Carpenter — Wawatay NewsMP Charlie Angus (NDP – Timmins-James Bay) is calling on the provincial and federal governments to alleviate the chronic underfunding of Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS), which serves 35 First Nations in northern Ontario.
In 2006, the underfunding of NAPS drew national headlines when Ricardo Wesley and James Goodwin of Kashechewan First Nation died in a makeshift cell when the local NAPS detachment office was consumed by fire.
An inquest into the deaths of Wesley and Goodwin confirmed what NAPS and First Nations leaders have claimed for years: that the First Nations police organization is severely underfunded, understaffed and lacking adequate facilities.
And after three years since a jury listed 86 recommendations, including the need for increased funding for NAPS, Angus said the governments continues to fail the NAPS front line officers.
In a letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, Angus called on the federal government to work with the province to provide adequate funding support for NAPS.
“NAPs officers are working under conditions that can only be described as Third World,” Agnus wrote. “They are not given anywhere near the same support as municipal police or the OPP. This needs to change.”
About 134 NAPS officers serve the NAN territory, which is roughly two-thirds of the province. Angus is concerned that the lack of back up and proper resources is leading to increasing levels of burn-out and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the force.
“We are seeing upwards of 20 percent of the officers being off at any time because of leave or stress,” he said. “This is the kind of levels you’d see in combat. We have officers going into violent situations without back up. They are lacking proper housing and many detachments are substandard.”
Last year, NAPS faced a $1 million budget deficit near the end of the 2010-2011 fiscal year, forcing NAPS to employ less than a full complement of officers and the layoff of some civillian staff. Officers were reassigned and forced to take on more duties while NAPS asked the Ontario Provincial Police to patrol the communities of Mishkeegogamang and Aroland.
A Tripartite Police Agreement between the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation expired six months ago. Meanwhile NAPS faces the March 2013 loss of 11 officers whose contracts under the Police Officer Recruitment Fund are due to expire.
Angus said the parties must come together to address the funding disparity to ensure
community safety.
“There is no reason for NAPs officers to be left without the resources they need,” he said.
“There is no reason why First Nation communities should have to accept undermanned and under-resourced police forces. Minister Toews needs to sit down with Nishnawbe Aski Nation and work out appropriate funding and support.”
During the inquest into the deaths of Ricardo Wesley and James Goodwin of Kashechewan First Nation, NAN provided a list of recommendations, which included:
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
NAN should be adequately funded by Canada and Ontario to be able to meaningfully and actively participate in consultations and negotiations about a regulatory/legislative framework for NAPS and the provision of police services to NAN First Nations.
OFFICER HOUSING
NAN should conduct a research and policy review in order to provide its member First Nations that are policed by NAPS with options about how to best provide adequate and suitable housing for NAPS officers, and Ontario and Canada should provide funding in order for NAN to carry out this work.
FUNDING OF POLICE SERVICES
Canada should amend its First Nations Policing Policy to eliminate the prohibition on the provision of funding for major capital projects.
Canada should amend its First Nations Policing Policy to eliminate the stipulation that funding will only be provided on a cost-share 52%-48% basis, so that either party may fund policing in excess of that limit.
Ontario should amend its policy or policies relating to First Nations police services to allow Ontario to fund on-reserve buildings and capital projects.
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What gets me about the whole
What gets me about the whole issue is that here, the non-native police officers are housed, they have heat and hydro and a roof over their head. Everything is covered. The local officers who coach and show them the ropes are left struggling to get by, houses that are cold and drafty and have high hydro bills. Bedding and house hold items are also provided for them. I was once told that this was because these non native officers have mortgages to pay. My response was that these officers know what they are getting into when they apply for NAPS. We have been here for 10 yrs now and have watched so many officers use NAPS as a leg up to get into other police services. If this is going to be done (housing) for some it should be done for all. For those local officers who have built their homes and have their families with them.. a subsidy should be applied.
"Housing" is provided for all
"Housing" is provided for all officers regardless of skin color, but in all too many cases thats simply a hotel room. Besides the non-native officers having a mortgage to pay, they also have income tax, and flights home to see their families. So dont go on about the local officers who have "built" their homes, when we both know their house was provided by the government free of charge.
Well maybe the solution is to
Well maybe the solution is to find a stronger committment from NAPS Board/Managers to ensure that local hiring is a priority so that the life of the non-native officers isn't disrupted so much and the budget isn't spent on hotel rooms. And maybe this could allow for more over-time pay to those officers who are left to fill in gaps because even though they may not have mortgages to pay or taxes, there is always a high cost of living on many far northern reserves...
Let's face reality, we don't live in communities where crime is at a low and coverage is a must. These aren't "Mayberry" reserves.
Its all about deception. I
Its all about deception. I wouldn't put much credibility on the issue as the funds are given to them but they are self proclaimed as bad with money. Why should the government house native officers when they are from the area? its all about more more and i want more. Contribute and you can?
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