NWT RCMP held a ceremony on Monday to formally open a new detachment building in Whatì, designed to offer more space with the advent of the all-season road.
Whatì has been connected to the rest of Canada by road since late 2021. At the time, some residents expressed concern that a year-round highway could lead to more crime in the Tłı̨chǫ community of around 600 people.
Statistics kept by police showed about a 25-percent increase in reported crime in the months following the highway’s completion.
RCMP say the old detachment building, built in the late 1980s and opened in 1990, was only set up for a maximum of two officers and “not meeting the needs of the RCMP and the community any more.”
Police have had possession of the new building, which offers space for at least four officers, since late 2023. RCMP gave the figure of $9.1 million for the new detachment’s cost.
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Of the four positions, two are currently filled, a third person is “in the process of transferring to the detachment,” a spokesperson stated, and recruitment for the fourth position is ongoing.
Monday’s ceremony was attended by Whatı̀ Chief Charles Nitsiza and councillors, NWT Department of Justice deputy minister Charlene Doolittle, and NWT RCMP commanding officer Chief Supt Dyson Smith.
“The opening of this new detachment is a symbol of the territorial government’s commitment to improving and modernizing policing in the territory,” Smith said in prepared remarks.
“It provides our employees with an improved capacity to perform their duties and can be a symbol of pride for the community.
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“While the celebration to commemorate the opening was delayed until now, this new detachment is recognized as the first in a series of updates around the territory and I’m happy that Whatì can benefit from this.”
The new detachment is the first such upgrade in the territory since Inuvik received a new building in 2016, RCMP said.
Police next hope to replace detachment buildings in Łútsël K’é followed by Tulita and Délı̨nę, but no timeline has been established for either of those projects.
Correction: June 24, 2025 – 21:55 MT. RCMP initially said Łútsël K’é and Délı̨nę were next in line for new detachment buildings. After this article was first published, a spokesperson issued a correction and added Tulita to the list ahead of Délı̨nę. The article has been updated accordingly.
