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Gazette, Vol. 71, No. 1, 2009
ISOLATED POST
The realities of policing in remote communities
On the cover: Policing in a remote, northern detachment like this one in Takla Landing, B.C., requires the ability to integrate into the local
community and adjust to the isolated landscape and often harsh conditions
Photo by: Paul Norman
Letter from the Editor
Policing outside of the cities
When the North West Mounted Police first marched west in 1874
to police the vast open land that is now Saskatchewan and
Alberta, there was no such thing as urban policing. Today,
even with more than 50 per cent of Canada’s population living in
cities, the tradition of policing Canada’s remote landscapes and
small communities continues.
Cover Section
A multi-faceted approach
It’s what you make of it
Ensuring adequate backup for officers in small detachments is challenging, but it’s not impossible, as experience across the RCMP has shown.
When RCMP Cst Todd Midgett went up North for his second posting, he had more than himself to consider: his wife Tammy Olivier joined him in the tiny hamlet of Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories. Tammy writes about the first eight months of her life as a member’s wife up North.
Based out of Inuvik, the relief section is a team of five members responsible for ensuring that all two-member detachments in the Northwest Territories have someone to fill in when one of their members goes on vacation, attends training or travels outside the community for another reason.
The challenges of policing in rural and remote communities in Ontario are numerous.
Reaching isolated rural communities at the end of long, windy gravel roads is a reality for police in the Northland District of New Zealand.
About four years ago, Kent Police — one of the 43 police forces in England and Wales — conducted research to determine the issues of greatest concern to people living in rural communities.
Moats talks with Gazette writer Caroline Ross about the potential for biological disease agents to shatter the American livestock industry, and explains why emergency responders must keep an open mind.
Psychological preparedness and coping in an isolated post
In Australia, much is known about the distribution and use of illicit drugs in urban centres, but very little is known about the extent of the problem in rural and remote regions.
News Notes
Detachment commanders know how difficult it is to determine the number of general duty officers required to ensure a given level of police service within a community.
Adult sexual assault victims in British Columbia can now report to police anonymously through community-based victim assistance agencies.
Harper Boucher, former D/Commr of the RCMP’s Atlantic Region, was appointed as the Special Representative of Interpol to the United Nations in April 2008.
A new Canadian technology may do more than help curb electricity theft, it could also put a damper on marijuana grow operations that suck stolen power.
Q & A
Picture this
Q&A with Det/Cst Clifford Clark, a specialist in witness interviewing
Panel discussion
What are the biggest challenges facing police in remote communities?
The panellists: Cst George Cook, Cpl Wendy Martin, Supt Andrew Boland
Just the Facts
Police in rural, coastal or northern communities may encounter a range of crimes that target the natural resource economy. whether it’s illegal logging or fishing, wildlife poaching, diamond theft or agricultural crime, the offence is usually specific to the local environment. here’s a look at some of the resource-driven crimes that affect communities where nature is at the forefront. Here’s a look at the facts.
Best Practice
E-13 Neighbors Network gets residents talking
If there were a technology to connect residents
by geographic region, educate them
about crime prevention, and give them the
ability to communicate and collaborate,
you’d want to know about it, right?
Featured Submissions
Horrific as they were, the November 2008 events in Mumbai — where armed terrorists took over the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, the Oberoi Trident hotel, a Jewish outreach centre and several other buildings — were a reminder that the techniques and principles of response to a hostage situation remain valid even in the most severe cases.
When responding to a call for service involving an autistic person, it is helpful for police officers to have an understanding of the disorder.
On the Leading Edge
Latest research in law enforcement
Excerpts from recent research related to justice and law enforcement.
From Our Partners
Community Corrections Liaison Officer program
When police officers in Winnipeg were
working a recent string of break and
enters, they had reason to believe the suspect
was a federal parolee — the trouble
was finding him. All they had to work
with were an outdated photo and some
stale contact information from before his
incarceration.
Emerging Trends
Interest soars in Airport Watch program
For these enthusiasts, however,
watching aircraft is more than just a
hobby. These uniformed volunteers are
also contributing to the safety and security
of a major Canadian airport.
