KAHNAWAKE GETS DRUG DOG

On December 15 the Peacekeepers will welcome a drug detector dog to their
ranks. The dog will be handled by Peacekeeper Kelvin Phillips. Kahnawake
will become the first Native community to have its own dog for the purpose
of drug detection and prevention.

Phillips is currently being trained at a Canada Customs training facility
in Rigaud. The training began on October 10. The Mohawk Council of
Kahnawake unanimously supported the project at their meeting on Friday,
October 13.

'Speaking to the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association, we're the
first in Canada; a First Nations [community] that has their own detector
drug dog,' Chief Peacekeeper Mike Stalk said. 'There are Native communities
that have dogs, but they are contracted by other policing agencies.'

The dog will be used on a full-time basis to locate drugs in different
scenarios throughout the community, including drug raids. The Peacekeepers
will also be using the dog for drug awareness activities in the community
and in the schools.

'It's a positive step forward for the community, for the Mohawk Council,
for our department and it shows and sends a clear message that we're not
going to tolerate having the drug situation in our community any more,'
Stalk relayed.

In the past, when situations arose where the Peacekeepers needed the
services of a drug detector dog, they had to hire out the services of other
police agencies. With the addition of their own dog, the Peacekeepers will
not have to rely on other police departments.

'For the last ten or more years it was always entertained to look at the
possibility of getting a dog,' Stalk said. 'But because of financial
constraints and availability of funds it wasn't a reality at that time.'

MCK Chief Myrtle Bush said they approved of the project because they felt
that it was something that the community can support. She also said because
of the drug issue in the community it has been something people have been
asking for.

'Now, with the direction of the community, and the Mohawk Council, with the
zero tolerance [on drugs], some of the events that have happened in the
last few years, the amount of drug flow we have been getting in our
community I think it comes at a time it is needed,' Stalk added.