News (Media Awareness Project) - CN NU: Nunavik Cops Put On Show Of Force At KRG Meeting |
| Title: | CN NU: Nunavik Cops Put On Show Of Force At KRG Meeting |
| Published On: | 2010-02-26 |
| Source: | Nunatsiaq News (CN NU) |
| Fetched On: | 2010-04-02 03:30:57 |
NUNAVIK COPS PUT ON SHOW OF FORCE AT KRG MEETING
In Some Communities, Number Of Crimes Exceeds Population
Number
KUUJJUAQ - A dozen uniformed police officers from the Kativik
Regional Police Force and the Surete du Quebec arrived Feb. 25 at this
week's meeting of the Kativik Regional Government's regional council
to make a symbolic show of beefed-up police activity in the region.
Nunavimmiut listening to a live broadcast of council proceedings on
the Taqramiut Nipingat Inc. radio network couldn't see the group's
impressive physical bulk and serious expressions.
But the idea behind their presence at the meeting was clear: they
wanted to physically highlight their efforts to seize drugs and
alcohol, illegally brought into Nunavik for sale, and hopefully scare
drug dealers and bootleggers from doing business in the region.
Police told the council that the KRPF seized 1,514 mickeys of alcohol,
1.7 kilos of marijuana, 298 pills of ecstasy, 300 grams of hash, and
23.2 grams of cocaine in Nunavik between August and December of 2009.
They said these seizures have an estimated re-sale value of
$376,525.
This past January, police also scooped up more booze and drugs, worth
about $44,000.
The KRPF's interim police chief, Aileen Mackinnon, said the regional
police and the SQ, including two new KRPF investigators as several
others working with the SQ, made seizures worth a total of $1.5
million in 2009.
The total value of the drug market in Nunavik has previously been
estimated at about $30 million a year.
During the police presentation, councillors received no numbers about
what arrests, if any, had resulted from the KRPF seizures, although
the SQ say they opened four drug trafficking files.
So it's hard to say whether the police campaign against drugs and
alcohol means drug-dealers and bootleggers will face any legal
consequences or simply lose their merchandise and livelihood.
MacKinnon encouraged Nunavimmiut to provide tips to police about drug
and alcohol dealing in their communities by calling
1-800-964-2644.
MacKinnon said informants will be given a number instead of a name to
keep their identities confidential, or they may choose to remain anonymous.
For the moment, callers may only speak in English or French to
investigators, but efforts are underway to provide service in Inuttitut.
As for Nunavik's rising crime rates, MacKinnon said these may reflect
more work by police in the region.
Overall, criminal incidents have risen from 8,753 in 2008 to 10,174 in
2009, according to information handed out at the meeting.
The population of Nunavik is only about 11,600.
Separate statistics were only provided for three categories of files
opened in 2009, when there were 2,829 assaults, 253 sexual assaults
and 751 cases of impaired driving.
The statistics show the total number of criminal offenses in 2009
surpassed the number of people who live in Aupaluk, population 199,
where there were 236 criminal offenses, and in Puvirnituq, population
1,496, where there were 2,408 criminal offenses, and nearly equaled
the population of Kuujjuaq, where there were 2,102 criminal offenses.
Most the criminal offenses were linked to alcohol, MacKinnon
said.
To lower these rates, the KRPF plans to increase its prevention
activities, including trilingual presentations for schools on firearms
safety, "drugs and you, not a healthy combination," and drinking and
driving.
The police also wants to promote its youth cadet program, with the KRG
budgeting more than $2.5 million towards this in 2009.
Activities will include a camp to be held this April in Kangiqsujuaq,
where 30 cadets will learn winter survival skills and first aid.
MacKinnon also said there are plans to encourage cadets to become
involved in karate and to learn police patrol techniques, with the
goal of encouraging more young Inuit to join the regional police force.
During their meeting with the police, councillors praised the police
efforts against drugs and alcohol, which they said is eroding the
quality of life in Nunavik.
They also asked for more assistance in fighting youth gangs and
vandalism.
One councilor couldn't understand why police take so long to stop
dealers and bootleggers when everyone in a village can see people
going to the same house to make their purchases.
In Some Communities, Number Of Crimes Exceeds Population
Number
KUUJJUAQ - A dozen uniformed police officers from the Kativik
Regional Police Force and the Surete du Quebec arrived Feb. 25 at this
week's meeting of the Kativik Regional Government's regional council
to make a symbolic show of beefed-up police activity in the region.
Nunavimmiut listening to a live broadcast of council proceedings on
the Taqramiut Nipingat Inc. radio network couldn't see the group's
impressive physical bulk and serious expressions.
But the idea behind their presence at the meeting was clear: they
wanted to physically highlight their efforts to seize drugs and
alcohol, illegally brought into Nunavik for sale, and hopefully scare
drug dealers and bootleggers from doing business in the region.
Police told the council that the KRPF seized 1,514 mickeys of alcohol,
1.7 kilos of marijuana, 298 pills of ecstasy, 300 grams of hash, and
23.2 grams of cocaine in Nunavik between August and December of 2009.
They said these seizures have an estimated re-sale value of
$376,525.
This past January, police also scooped up more booze and drugs, worth
about $44,000.
The KRPF's interim police chief, Aileen Mackinnon, said the regional
police and the SQ, including two new KRPF investigators as several
others working with the SQ, made seizures worth a total of $1.5
million in 2009.
The total value of the drug market in Nunavik has previously been
estimated at about $30 million a year.
During the police presentation, councillors received no numbers about
what arrests, if any, had resulted from the KRPF seizures, although
the SQ say they opened four drug trafficking files.
So it's hard to say whether the police campaign against drugs and
alcohol means drug-dealers and bootleggers will face any legal
consequences or simply lose their merchandise and livelihood.
MacKinnon encouraged Nunavimmiut to provide tips to police about drug
and alcohol dealing in their communities by calling
1-800-964-2644.
MacKinnon said informants will be given a number instead of a name to
keep their identities confidential, or they may choose to remain anonymous.
For the moment, callers may only speak in English or French to
investigators, but efforts are underway to provide service in Inuttitut.
As for Nunavik's rising crime rates, MacKinnon said these may reflect
more work by police in the region.
Overall, criminal incidents have risen from 8,753 in 2008 to 10,174 in
2009, according to information handed out at the meeting.
The population of Nunavik is only about 11,600.
Separate statistics were only provided for three categories of files
opened in 2009, when there were 2,829 assaults, 253 sexual assaults
and 751 cases of impaired driving.
The statistics show the total number of criminal offenses in 2009
surpassed the number of people who live in Aupaluk, population 199,
where there were 236 criminal offenses, and in Puvirnituq, population
1,496, where there were 2,408 criminal offenses, and nearly equaled
the population of Kuujjuaq, where there were 2,102 criminal offenses.
Most the criminal offenses were linked to alcohol, MacKinnon
said.
To lower these rates, the KRPF plans to increase its prevention
activities, including trilingual presentations for schools on firearms
safety, "drugs and you, not a healthy combination," and drinking and
driving.
The police also wants to promote its youth cadet program, with the KRG
budgeting more than $2.5 million towards this in 2009.
Activities will include a camp to be held this April in Kangiqsujuaq,
where 30 cadets will learn winter survival skills and first aid.
MacKinnon also said there are plans to encourage cadets to become
involved in karate and to learn police patrol techniques, with the
goal of encouraging more young Inuit to join the regional police force.
During their meeting with the police, councillors praised the police
efforts against drugs and alcohol, which they said is eroding the
quality of life in Nunavik.
They also asked for more assistance in fighting youth gangs and
vandalism.
One councilor couldn't understand why police take so long to stop
dealers and bootleggers when everyone in a village can see people
going to the same house to make their purchases.
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