NAN Calls on Province and Feds to Address Policing Crisis

THUNDER BAY, ON, Feb. 1 – Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy supports yesterday’s decision to partially close the Kasabonika Lake First Nation Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service detachment, calling on provincial Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Rick Bartolucci and federal Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day to address the growing policing crisis in NAN territory.”When officer and prisoner safety is compromised there can be deadly outcomes,” said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy referencing the January 2006 detachment fire in Kashechewan First Nation where two prisoners died and an officer was badly burned. “NAPS’ proactive approach to avoiding accidents and potential tragedies will ensure officer and prisoner safety on the short-term, but it’s time our treaty partners come to the table to together develop long-term solutions to meet the basic health and safety needs of our police service. This is not an isolated incident – without change we can expect further detachment closures.”

The cells of the NAPS detachment in Kasabonika Lake First Nation were closed Thursday after Acting NAPS Police Chief John Domm received a constable report of the deteriorating state of the detachment earlier this week.

“An incident forcing my review indicated cells were completely inadequate failing to meet basic needs such as proper lighting, washroom facilities, monitoring capabilities, and secure construction of the cell itself,” said Acting NAPS Police Chief John Domm. “The decision to partially close the detachment is based on the need to meet minimum health and safety requirements – in its current state, the cells do not meet these requirements.”

Domm’s decision to partially close the detachment in the NAN community was made in coordination with Kasabonika Lake First Nation Chief Gordon Anderson and band council yesterday.

“The safety and security of our community is at risk when we don’t have proper cell facilities,” said Kasabonika First Nation Chief Gordon Anderson. “What has to happen before our treaty partners (Canada and Ontario) provide the necessary funds to have a proper facility in our community?”

Currently prisoners are being flown to Sioux Lookout, ON at a cost to NAPS of between $8,000 and $10,000 per trip – a cost less than a monthly lease payment on a new detachment.

NAPS has been in negotiations to address infrastructure challenges with provincial and federal representatives since its 1994 inception and has proposed a five year budgetary plan to negotiators for the governments of Canada and Ontario that will satisfy detachment needs on a priority basis.

Only one of 35 NAPS detachments meets minimum national building code standards. 13 modular detachments (trailers) have been installed as a temporary solution. Each trailer costs approximately $400,000 including set up and installation. A new police detachment meeting minimum national building code standards would cost approximately $1 million.

“The realities of NAPS detachments are becoming more and more real as we’ve seen visualized in a video documentary and now with the closure of Kasabonika’s detachment,” said Beardy. “On behalf of the people of Nishnawbe Aski, I want and expect these realities be taken into consideration as we anticipate a five year budget plan by Treasury Board of Canada.”

Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service: A Sacred Calling is an 18 minute video documentary portraying the deplorable working and living conditions of NAPS officers and detachments, resulting from an accumulation of severe provincial and federal funding shortages. It can be screened at www.nan.on.ca.

NAPS serves 37 of Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s (NAN) 49 First Nation communities – a territory covering two-thirds of the province of Ontario.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation is a political organization representing 49 First Nation communities within James Bay Treaty 9 territory.

For further information: please contact: Jenna Young, Director of Communications, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, (807) 625-4952, (807) 628-3953 mobile