PROVINCE BEEFS UP POLICE PRESENCE

There's good news for crime-fighting agencies on both the Enoch Cree
Nation and Paul Band First Nation - more help is on the way.

As part of an expansion of the existing community tri-partheid
agreement, the federal and provincial governments are beefing up the
police presence in Aboriginal communities across the province,
including the two in the tri-municipal area.

According to Insp. Wade Blake, the head brass at the Stony
Plain/Spruce Grove RCMP detachment, the plan is to hire four
additional officers to staff the satellite office at Enoch, plus one
more constable for the Paul Band reserve, within about a year.

"It helps big-time," Blake said. "It does ease the
workload."

The expansion of the community tri-partheid agreement has been in the
works for about two years, although the deal will not be made official
until sometime next month.

Currently, the Stony Plain/Spruce Grove integrated RCMP detachment
boasts a staff of more than 60, including traffic services and
administrative personnel, and officers respond to more than 21,000
calls to service each year.

The addition of four officers in Enoch will bring the complement of
cops on the reserve to 11, while hiring one extra officer to staff the
Paul Band reserve will bring the total to three. Although only a
handful of constables are assigned to each community within the
detachment area, other officers help pick up the slack.

"In essence, they're kind of getting 24/7 policing," Blake said. "If
those members aren't working, we're not going to say, 'Sorry, we're
not going to attend.'

"We're the police force in this jurisdiction and we're responsible to
attend every complaint."

Approval

Dennis Paul, a spokesperson for the Paul First Nation, called the move
to assign an additional officer to the Aboriginal community, which is
located on the east shores of Lake Wabamun, a "wise decision."

"It is welcome, that's for sure, as any other community would welcome
an additional officer," he said.

As Alberta's solicitor general and minister of public security, Fred
Lindsay's mandate is to provide "safe and secure communities" and he
figures the hiring of additional officers in Aboriginal communities is
a key component of achieving that goal.

Lindsay, who calls Wabamun home, is optimistic all tri-municipal area
residents will benefit from the announcement.

He pointed out that assigning a handful of new officers to the Stony
Plain/Spruce Grove detachment, means more manpower to enforce the laws
in all municipalities within their boundaries.

"I'm just pleased we are able to put that in place because we
certainly need it," Lindsay said. "We think that's going to help not
only those communities, but the rest of the area as well."

Blake agreed the addition of any new officers helps the local police
force become "more effective."

"What will happen is the new members will take the workload off what
the watches were having to deal with," he said.

Concerns

A decade ago, the Paul Band reserve was home to approximately 1,000
residents, but that figure has nearly doubled.

With the population booming, Paul figures an additional officer will
be kept busy.

He pointed out there has been an "obvious increase" in drug
trafficking in many Alberta communities and predicted having an
additional officer will make would-be criminals think twice before
setting up shop in his community.

"If it ever reaches here, at least we have another officer to combat
that type of illegal drug activity," he said.

According to Blake, there is already drug and alcohol issues on the
Paul Band reserve, and the statistics also show an escalation in
violent crimes, such as serious assaults.

The opening of the River Cree Casino has upped the ante on the seven
officers patrolling the streets of Enoch, who are dealing with more
assaults, disturbances and other alcohol-related incidents.

The local RCMP detachment also receives requests to assist casino
security guards with unruly patrons.

Police have confirmed gang activity in Enoch, while Blake said there
is "gang influence" in the drug trade on the Paul First Nation lands.

Ron Morin, the chief of the Enoch Cree Nation, could not be reached
for comment, but Blake said all indications are the band council is
satisfied with the service that is provided.