E Division - Reconciliation Strategic Plan

Delivery of Police Services to Indigenous communities and peoples

In British Columbia, the Indigenous Policing Services unit leads the proactive role to provide culturally sensitive policing to Indigenous communities, and to improve relations between Indigenous people, the RCMP, and the Criminal Justice System through a strong and effective Indigenous policing complement. The Indigenous Policing Services team includes Coordinators for Gang Awareness, Métis and Urban Indigenous communities, Recruiter, Community Liaison team, Missing Persons Liaison and Program Manager to support enhanced police services to Indigenous communities. Indigenous Policing Services coordinates and delivers the First Nations Policing Program, which consists of 55 Community Tripartite Agreements and is delivered by 117.5 Indigenous Policing Service members serving 121 Indigenous communities in BC.  

Reconciliation objectives

The BC RCMP is working to advance reconciliation and renew the relationship with Indigenous peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. BC RCMP employees are striving to build relationships toward reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples by listening to what it means to the local peoples. Each positive engagement with Indigenous Peoples and communities is a step towards building trust, culturally sensitive policing and developing our own internal cultural competency which will help guide our reconciliation objectives and strategies.

Objectives

1. Internally focused action item for Indigenous employees (as per Vision 150)
2. Restorative Justice: Initiatives that support meaningful and culturally appropriate justice practices.
3. Formalize relations with Indigenous groups (especially women’s groups) / Explicit collaboration with provincial and territorial women’s groups, elders, youth, employees.
4. Addressing the inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) calls for justice – Police services
5. Alignment to provincial or territorial MMIWG or reconciliation action plans

Objective #1:

Internally focused action item for Indigenous employees (as per Vision 150)

1. Indigenous Cultural Advisory Committee (ICAC)

The purpose of the BC RCMP Indigenous Cultural Advisory Committee is to improve and foster stronger communications, offer advice from an Indigenous cultural perspective, serve as a knowledge base to provide feedback on the services provided to Indigenous communities by the RCMP, and give guidance to support Indigenous Employees. The mandate of the Indigenous Cultural Advisory Committee includes (but is not limited) to:

• To discuss and advise on solutions on how to foster stable, stronger and vibrant Indigenous communities throughout the Province of BC ("E" Division)
• To explore culturally-appropriate strategies to address crime and policing issues in Indigenous communities
• To advising on cultural protocols, traditional practices, and ceremonial etiquette
• Exchanging ideas and providing feedback on RCMP education and training initiatives that concern Indigenous people in BC
• To act as a conduit between Indigenous communities, community stakeholders and the RCMP, when situations warrant, contributing to the historical special relationship between the RCMP and Indigenous peoples
• The committee advisors will provide guidance to the BC RCMP in the following areas:
• The delivery of effective, efficient and culturally appropriate policing by the RCMP to Indigenous people and their communities in BC
• The identification of interests and trends in security and safety in Indigenous communities
• The promotion of proactive community and RCMP relationships
• Initiatives to support Indigenous employees of the organization and provide culturally-relevant care and assistance

The committee advisors will provide guidance to the BC RCMP in the following areas:

• The delivery of effective, efficient and culturally appropriate policing by the RCMP to Indigenous people and their communities in BC
• The identification of interests and trends in security and safety in Indigenous communities
• The promotion of proactive community and RCMP relationships
• Initiatives to support Indigenous employees of the organization and provide culturally-relevant care and assistance

2. First Nations Policing Program Member Wellness

The BC RCMP recognizes the importance of supporting our Indigenous Policing Service (IPS) members in providing comprehensive, accountable, and culturally sensitive service delivery to Indigenous communities. The oil and gas/ natural resource projects and Indigenous solidarity protests profoundly impacted many IPS members’ well-being. Many IPS members involved, participated in the police response to protests in an outreach and non-enforcement capacity through their relationships with Indigenous communities. In response, the BC RCMP held a well-being event for nearly half of the IPS members (of which approximately 50 per cent identify as Indigenous), whereby mental, physical, and cultural support was provided to members through a number of learning and discussion activities. The event included a dialogue between all participants in which they shared difficulties they face on the frontlines of high profile demonstrations, protests, and discussed the importance of supporting one another to continue to provide much needed services to Indigenous communities. By looking at opportunities which build our internal cultural competence and resiliency, we can continue to rebuild our relationships with the Indigenous peoples and communities we serve.

Objective #2:

Restorative Justice: Initiatives that support meaningful and culturally appropriate justice practices.

The BC RCMP continues to seek meaningful alternative justice measures, such as restorative justice, in response to the harm caused by criminal behaviour.

Project Blueprint was a qualitative research project that was completed by E Division Community Policing Services in 2017. The project looked extensively at the experiences of restorative justice programs and detachments in BC with high rates of police referrals. Lessons learned were communicated to 36 detachments and programs across the province. Project Blueprint has enhanced awareness of the benefits of restorative justice, increased collaboration with local programs, and facilitated an understanding of how the referral process works.

Crime Preventions Services continues to be a champion for the effective use, knowledge, and completion of properly coded/scored files. We anticipate referral numbers to rise as we continue to educate our detachment restorative justice liaisons through detachment visits and inform members on the benefits of restorative justice.

The BC RCMP actively participates and will increase support and expand culturally-appropriate and relevant Indigenous restorative justice and healing practices. The following are current examples of BC RCMP participation in Indigenous Peoples Court and culturally appropriate justice programs:

• Powell River - Tla’amin Nation QCJ (Qathet Community Justice)
• North Cowichan/ Duncan – Indigenous Peoples Court, Cowichan Tribes Kwun’atsustul Services Healing Circles
• North Vancouver - Squamish Indigenous First Nations Unit participates in the First Nations Court and the re-integration of offenders back into the community
• Upper Frasier Valley Regional District Urban Indigenous Liaison Unit – Restorative Justice referrals involving the Sto:lo Nation Qwi:qwelstom Justice Program, and the Memiyelhtel intensive youth support workers

Objective #3:

Formalize relations with Indigenous groups (especially women’s groups) / Explicit collaboration with provincial and territorial women’s groups, elders, youth, employees.

The BC RCMP partners with the following front-line organizations that work in service delivery, safety, and harm reduction for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people and to expand and strengthen police services delivery.

1. Moose Hide Campaign

On February 24, 2020, BC RCMP Commanding Officer Jennifer Strachan attended the Victoria Conference Centre in support of the Moose Hide Campaign Provincial gathering and provided a keynote address to participants.

BC RCMP employees support this campaign which is a grass-roots campaign to end violence against women and children. Indigenous Policing, Regular Members and detachment staff attended local community Moose Hide campaign events. Over the past three years, BC RCMP has distributed over 20,000 Moose hide pins to our employees and to the communities we serve. Wearing the Moose Hide pin signifies your commitment to honour, respect, and protect the women and children in your life and speak out against gender-based and domestic violence. In partnership and support, many pledges have been voiced by RCMP across BC and hosted on the Moose Hide website. The BC RCMP Commanding Officer and Surrey RCMP, produced a pledge video to take a stand against violence.

2. Métis Sashing Our Warriors

Wearing of Sash and education through presentations Sashing Our Warriors. This is a holistic grassroots campaign created to provide education and awareness needed to prevent further violence against Métis women and girls. The campaign supports individuals and the community to heal and rebuild as a whole through an honouring (sashing) ceremony representative of the Métis culture.

3. Métis – Louis Riel Day

Education and awareness to Indigenous Policing Service members and the Métis Coordinator attends events. This year, the Métis Coordinator shared an educational information to the BC RCMP employees at E Division Headquarters.

4. Commitment Sticks – Ending violence against women and children

During the Indigenous Policing Services Annual Training, participants took a commitment with sticks to end violence against women. Indigenous Policing Service members in BC introduced this initiative to their local community. The commitment sticks have been used by IPS members in their local Indigenous communities.

Objective #4:

Addressing the inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) calls for justice – Police Services

1. BC RCMP Indigenous Recruiter position

• Dedicated to increasing recruitment of Indigenous Peoples to the RCMP and achieving representative First Nations, Inuit, and Métis diversity and gender diversity within all police services (Calls for Justice 9.3i)

2. Indigenous Pre-Cadet Training (IPTP) National Program

• Offers Indigenous people from the ages of 19-29, the opportunity to get an inside look at the life of a police officer. This summer program provides the selected candidates with hands-on experience in the RCMP’s training program at the RCMP Training Academy (Depot) in Regina. The training focuses on teaching collaborative problem-solving skills, law enforcement, public speaking, cultural diversity, and facilitating safe community workshops in communities (Calls for Justice 9.3i)

3. Nicola Valley Institute of Technology Law Enforcement Preparation Program

• BC RCMP, Indigenous Policing Services partnership with law enforcement preparation program at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt. This program is taught by local RCMP members and other police guest speakers for students to have access and gain an insider view to policing as an employment opportunity (Calls for Justice 9.3i)

4. BC RCMP Indigenous Policing Services - Missing Persons Liaison Position

• This position was developed in response to recommendations made by Commissioner Wally Oppal following the BC Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. It was recommended that an Indigenous Police Officer join the BC Police Missing Person Unit (BCPMPC) to fulfill a unique role and provide valuable input and expertise to enhance missing person investigations involving Indigenous people throughout British Columbia. The mandate of this position includes (but is not limited) to the following:
  • Provide community outreach, training, education, and prevention to Indigenous communities in an attempt to decrease the numbers of missing Indigenous People
  • Be a resource for BC police and Indigenous communities and oversee current and historical investigations involving Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people (Calls for Justice 9.4.ii)

5. BC RCMP Métis Community Liaison Coordinator

• Build partnerships with Métis communities, organizations, and people to ensure culturally safe access to police services (Calls for Justice 17.12)
• Engages in education about the unique history and needs of Métis communities (Calls for Justice 17.13)
• Establishes better communication with Métis communities and populations through representative advisory boards that involve Métis communities and address their needs (Calls for Justice 17.14)

Objective #5:

Alignment to provincial or territorial MMIWG or reconciliation action plans

On November 26, 2020 the BC Premier provided letters of mandate to the Minister of Public Safety, Solicitor General, and to the Attorney General. There is strong direction given in several areas which Indigenous Policing Services is currently involved in, and supports through varied activities and programs.

Under Equity and Anti-racism, the Premier outlined the following: Delivering on our commitments to address racial discrimination will require a commitment by all of government to ensure increased IBPOC (Indigenous, Black and People of Colour) representation within the public service, including in government appointments.

• The RCMP Indigenous Pre-Cadet Training Program (IPTP) speaks to this issue by exposing Indigenous Peoples to the opportunities within policing and public service. Each year a troop of 32 IPTP cadets take part in all aspects of RCMP training including applied police sciences, physical fitness, and drill. Several IPTP graduates joined the public service after their training and continue to work at detachments in their communities. This program has been postponed until 2022 due to the current pandemic

In the mandate letters, is direction to: work with police to address serious crime in B.C. communities, including cracking down on those who distribute toxic drugs on the streets.

• IPS has a Gang Awareness Coordinator whose many tasks include gang life education to keep youth from joining gangs, and Indigenous gang activities including drug trafficking. This is accomplished through monitoring and information received through the Indigenous Policing Services Program and core policing officers in the field.

Moving forward

The BC RCMP supports the federal governments Speech from the Throne, identifying the core priority of Walking the Road of Reconciliation in moving forward as a partner on the journey of reconciliation. Furthermore, IPS has submitted information to the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act outlining activities in two areas:

• Rights of Indigenous People/Reconciliation
• Enhance Relationships with Our Diverse Communities

Additional activities and initiatives being developed to reduce systemic racism and support reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and communities include the following:

• Healing Circles
• Kairos Blanket Exercise
• Recruiting Events and Engaging Youth in Cultural Events
• Consulting with the Commanding Officer’s Indigenous Cultural Advisory Committee
• Eagle Feather policy
• Working with the Métis Nation British Columbia to establish an Indigenous-specific Victim Services and better access to programs like Restorative Justice
• Partnership with Cowichan Tribes First Nations Justice Council to incorporate restorative and culturally appropriate justice strategies
• Public Opinion Research as a reconciliation engagement tool in gathering feedback from Indigenous partners and stakeholders

These strategies and IPS activities support reconciliation efforts and improve access to culturally appropriate justice and support within the justice system. These initiatives will help shape the direction and implementation of an intelligence-based BC RCMP reconciliation strategy and serve as a guide toward rekindling and strengthening the RCMP’s commitment and relationship with Indigenous communities, peoples, and employees.