Gypsumville Detachment

Contact Information:
Box 179
Gypsumville, MB
R0C 1J0
Ph: (204) 659-5224
Fax: (204) 659-2640

Location:
Gypsumville is situated approximately 260 kilometres north of Winnipeg along Highway #6, which is the major thoroughfare to northern Manitoba. The patrolling area includes the 140 km stretch of Highway #6 between Hilbre and Devil’s Lake, a large area of crown land, the RM of Grahamdale, and a point of land called Peonan Point, which juts into Lake Manitoba. The detachment area is located between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg and includes portions of both lakes, the rivers between the two lakes (Fairford and Dauphin Rivers and the smaller lake in between Lake St. Martin.)

RCMP Detachment:
The Gypsumville detachment consists of one sergeant, one corporal, four constables, one community constable and two public service employees. We provide policing services to the villages of Gypsumville, St. Martin, St. Martin Junction, Hilbre, and the First Nations of Dauphin River, Lake St. Martin, Little Saskatchewan, and Fairford (Pinaymootang).

Community-based problem solving:

Often, groups are already in place to deal with ongoing concerns or community projects. The following details what community challenges are being addressed by the members of the RCMP in partnership with their community. The major working groups include:

Lakeshore Women’s Resource Center: This centre provides family violence prevention resources in our detachment area. They also provide a safe house and counseling assistance when appropriate. The unit commander has taken an active roll in participating in meetings usually held in Ashern in conjunction with Manitoba Family Services, Housing, Child and Family Services, and Family Violence Prevention Branch. Identified community problems are discussed and appropriate responses are made.

Pinaymootang (Fairford), Lake St. Martin, Little Saskatchewan and Dauphin River First Nations Chiefs & Councils: These working groups with member representation meet as the need arises to discuss areas of mutual concern and problem solve any issues that affect communities as a whole. Monthly policing reports are provided to keep the groups appraised of any issue(s) affecting them.

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Restorative and alternative justice:

Nationwide, members of the RCMP are involved in alternative justice processes, whether volunteering as facilitators or sitting on steering committees. Each community may embrace a different form of restorative justice, be it community justice forums, circle sentencing, or mediation.

Alternative Justice Program: Gypsumville Detachment is in the process of regenerating a system of alternatives to the formal court procedures in all of its policing areas. We are striving towards a referral system whereby violators of specific offences will be dealt with through mediation of elected officials or trained facilitators. We also hope to expand on this through alternative education.

Community Justice Forums: Currently there are six trained facilitators within the Pinaymootang (Fairford) First Nation, six with the Dauphin River First Nation, and three facilitators in both Little Saskatchewan First Nation and Lake St. Martin First Nation.

Crime prevention:

Members of the RCMP are involved with a number of programs designed to prevent crime in our communities through both indirect and direct intervention. From school talks to youth initiatives and community safety plans, the goal of crime prevention programs is to target the roots of potential criminal and social problems. Members of the RCMP are involved in the following initiatives:

Ident-A-Kid: Detachment members have assisted in Ident-A-Kid programs in schools throughout the detachment area, along with parents to furnish them with a means of personal identification if a child went missing.

Snowmobile Safety: School talks and movies have been used to inform students of snowmobile safety and regulations. This has been accomplished with assistance of the Snoman Provincial Organization.

Community Consultation: We held a number of community consultation meetings at St. Martin Community Hall. Community leaders or their representative attended and the major youth and community issues were discussed. This resulted in the development of strategic plans in the area of youth and aboriginal communities. The consensus determined that the Youth Plan would be in the area of Snowmobile/ATV Operation & Safety and the Aboriginal Community Plan would concentrate on assaults.

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Police-community relations:

Without a solid base upon which to work, the police cannot hope to build the necessary partnerships with the community to prevent crime and to solve community problems. Members of the RCMP strive to build those bridges by appreciating the needs of the communities in which they work and live. Their commitment to the community goes beyond simple participation as residents, but also as active members of the community. Members of the RCMP are involved in the following initiatives:

• Red Serge Duty & Parade
• School Liaisons
• Job Shadowing

Quality service through strategic partnerships:

The community also benefits directly and indirectly from strategic partnerships that the RCMP forms with other law enforcement and governmental agencies as well as with as with other community groups. Several unique associations have been formed:

• Ashern Child & Family services
• Anishinaabe Child & Family Services - Pinaymootang (Fairford)
• Anishinaabe Child & Family Services - Lake St. Martin
• Anishinaabe Child & Family Services of Little Saskatchewan
• Anishinaabe Child & Family Services of Dauphin River
• Band Constables
• Snoman Provincial Organization
• Local Nursing/EMS Station