GNWT rejects request from MLA for Indigenous police force

One MLA says it’s time to “rethink how policing is delivered” and introduce Indigenous-controlled policing, but the NWT government says it doesn’t have the legislation or authority to create a new force.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong, the MLA for Monfwi, asked justice minister Jay Macdonald in the Legislative Assembly last week if the territorial government would explore creating an Indigenous police force.

“This approach would allow Indigenous governments to take a more active role in addressing public safety concerns. It would also provide an opportunity to develop policing services that better reflect local needs and cultural values while building stronger relationships with residents,” said Weyallon Armstrong.

“Our communities have been calling for stronger actions for years and we need to be willing to consider new approaches that would improve public safety and better protect our residents.”

Macdonald said in response that the NWT’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police Agreement Act doesn’t allow for the creation of a separate territorial police force, unlike other jurisdictions in Canada. He said the GNWT would not take steps to create an Indigenous police force, but instead would focus on improving how police services are currently offered.

Ngan Trinh, a Department of Justice spokesperson, told Cabin Radio creating a new policing service would be “a significant undertaking” requiring legislation, a lot of resources and “careful consideration of how it would integrate with existing policing services and responsibilities.”

Both the department and minister pointed to ongoing work by the GNWT and RCMP to strengthen community safety and partnerships with Indigenous governments, including a community safety officer pilot program in Fort Liard that began in 2021.

The federal government is cost-sharing the community safety officer program until the end of 2027-28, the GNWT stated.

Macdonald said the GNWT has spoken with the federal public safety minister about “opportunities to see how we could ensure that program continues and potentially expand it into other communities across the territory.”

‘Community is coming together’

Chief Bertha Rabesca Zoe of Behchokǫ̀, a community within Weyallon Armstrong’s electoral district, has been raising awareness on Facebook of safety concerns in her community.

Rabesca Zoe told Cabin Radio more people are contacting her to report substance use and drug trafficking in Behchokǫ̀. She said she wants to learn more about ways to share information with police, but reassured people she currently does not share information she gets from residents with anyone.

She also wants to discuss with RCMP how they can collaborate to address safety issues in Behchokǫ̀.

“We need a team of people that need to – without breaking the law – start helping the police get all the evidence required that would be admissible in court,” said Rabesca Zoe.

When Cabin Radio spoke with her, she said she hadn’t yet met with the new Behchokǫ̀ detachment commander. Since that interview, Rabesca Zoe has posted on Facebook that she met with RCMP and discussed social issues, the drug crisis and drug dealers in Behchokǫ̀.

In September, justice minister Macdonald and Chief Supt Dyson Smith – commanding officer of NWT RCMP – provided MLAs with an update on crime in the territory. At that meeting, a staff member for the justice department said the GNWT was meeting with Behchokǫ̀ officials to develop a community safety plan.

The department later clarified in an email to Cabin Radio that a meeting was held in May to discuss “community concerns related to crime, public safety and substance use.”

During that meeting, departmental spokesperson Trinh said, Behchokǫ̀ requested financial support to develop a “community drug and community safety plan” and the GNWT identified funding that could be used for that once a proposal was received.

Rabesca Zoe said the Tłı̨chǫ Government created safety plans with Tłı̨chǫ communities a few years ago. According to her, Behchokǫ̀’s plan was never implemented. She wants to update that plan to reflect current safety concerns – and wants funding for public engagement on what should be included.

“It doesn’t really factor in the kind of security that we need in terms of the drug activity,” said Rabesca Zoe.

Cabin Radio asked the Tłı̨chǫ Government for more information about the safety plans but did not receive a response before publication.

While she works on the proposal and plan, Rabesca Zoe said she wants to hold more community marches, increase usage of a Behchokǫ̀ community watch Facebook group, and “ramp up on counselling services and healing programs, because a lot of our people are traumatized.”

“When you have a housing crisis, homelessness crisis and then a drug crisis, it’s a massive undertaking for anybody, and so I think the community is coming together,” she said.

“They do want to have a healthy community, a safe community and it’s going to take all of us to work together.”

More funding for federal Indigenous police program

Last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced $630 million over four years – alongside $250 million in ongoing annual funding – to renew and expand the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program agreements. The announcement followed the First Ministers and First Nations summit in Ottawa.

Trinh said the GNWT received a total of $4,339,000 from the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program for NWT RCMP in 2026-27. The money is cost-shared between the two governments, meaning the federal government is paying about $2.2 million and the GNWT is contributing about $2.1 million.

The money is given to RCMP so they can provide “enhanced policing services,” said Trinh. David Hunt, a spokesperson for RCMP, said extra money RCMP receive is used for additional staff, equipment or training related to the program for which the cash was designated.

The GNWT said money from the federal program also supports “a range of Indigenous community safety and policing initiatives,” like the community safety officer program and community justice committees.

Certain criminal offences can be diverted to those committees, the GNWT’s website states, and those committees can issue restorative measures through resolutions. The committees also help identify policing priorities, address community safety concerns and carry out crime prevention, Trinh said.

The prime minister also announced $140 million for “crime prevention and culturally sensitive community safety initiatives in First Nation communities across the country.”

Who is eligible for this funding and what, specifically, it will be used for was not included in the announcement.

Max Watson, a spokesperson for Public Safety Canada, said more details on the funding announced by Carney will be available “in the coming weeks.”