OPP helps patrol Aroland

NAPS juggles ‘shortfalls’
Ontario Provincial Police from the Greenstone detachment spent several weeks in December policing Aroland First Nation.
That didn’t sit well with at least one community member.
Mark Bell, the community’s economic development officer, said in published reports he’s felt like a “drug courier going on a run,” when he’s been driving in or out of the First Nation.
Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service Sgt. Jackie George confirmed the OPP were in the community from Dec. 8-19 and NAPS resumed its service in Aroland Dec. 20 but only until Jan. 8.
“The OPP had been covering day-to-day policing in Aroland,” George said. “This was something they were doing in assistance to NAPS.”
With its transport officers – the NAPS staff who transport accused people to their court hearings – laid off due to funding issues, NAPS redeployed its Aroland First Nation officers to help the situation.
The Aroland officers have also been covering shortfalls in other NAPS communities.
“There’s not one specific place they’ve gone,” George said. “They have provided coverage where needed.”
George said the reason Aroland’s officers were selected was because of the community’s close proximity to Greenstone. It was a convenient location for the OPP to cover with its officers.
While Bell has been vocal in his disapproval of the OPP, neither George nor OPP Greenstone Sgt. Thomas Hunt have received complaints from Aroland band members.
“There’s been a constant police presence in Aroland, just the same as if NAPS was providing the service,” Hunt said, adding the only difference community members would notice is the difference in uniforms.
Hunt said anyone taken into custody was taken to the cells in Greenstone, just as they would have been if NAPS were policing the community.
George said if community members are upset or would like to provide feedback about the service from the OPP, they are more than welcome to do so.
Neither NAPS representatives or the OPP could confirm who will be policing Aroland after Jan. 8.