Shamattawa Detachment

Contact Information:
Box 180
Shamattawa, MB
R0B 1K0
Ph: (204) 565-2351
Fax: (204) 565-2201

Location:
The community is located at the junction of God’s River and Echoing River and has a surface area of about 9.5 square kilometres. It is located 850 kilometres northeast of Thompson.

Local Population:
Band records indicate approximately 1,100 people are members of this remote First Nation community.

RCMP Detachment:
The detachment consists of one sergeant, one corporal, six constables, and two Public Service Employees. Several additions have been made to the original detachment building, such as a modern cellblock with a secure bay.

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:

Suicides: The detachment and nursing station have established an intervention protocol for the apprehension of suicidal persons, evaluation of risk, and treatment.

Alcoholism and Substance Abuse: Shamattawa is experiencing chronic alcohol and substance abuse. The detachment, band constables and Chief and Council developed enforcement strategies and protocols for the curtailment of alcohol and solvent consumption in the community.

Youth at Risk: The detachment and Awasis Agency have worked closely to identify youth at risk for the purpose of prioritizing apprehensions, treatment and counselling.

Other major working groups include:

• Youth Recreation Committee
• Shamattawa Community Consultive Group
• Policing Services
• Shamattawa Resource Committee

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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.

Informal Practices: Where appropriate members recommend to victims and offenders possible alternatives to the formal justice system. Simple apologies, cautioning, restitution, and member-led mediation have been used with success. In other cases, members have sought the assistance of Chief and Council, elders, parents, and respected members of the community to mediate disputes or informally educate offenders. Furthermore, minor offenses occurring at places of employment or among youth at school have been deferred to the employer or school administration for an informal resolution, thereby encouraging long-term healing rather than involvement in the justice system.

Youth Justice Committee (YJC): The detachment has taken a leadership role in partnering with the community justice worker to form a Youth Justice Committee. The detachment has created a system of referring minor crimes to the YJC, whose goal is to seek a community-based response to justice issues affecting the youth of the community.

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:

Airport Searches: The violence, suicides and child neglect produced by solvent and alcohol abuse has encouraged community leaders to adopt creative methods for preventing the transportation of alcohol and solvents into the community. As a result, members and band constables conduct daily baggage searches of passengers arriving on scheduled flights to discourage alcohol and solvents from entering the community.

Enforcement of Band By-Laws: There are three by-laws that render the possession, manufacture, sale, and consumption of solvents and alcohol illegal in the community. Detachment members and band constables have initiated a process of unannounced visits to residences suspected of manufacturing and selling ‘home brew.’

Community Firearms Locker: The detachment provides a facility for members of the community to safely store their firearms. The purpose of the locker is to keep firearms in a secure place and prevent them from getting into the hands of intoxicated or violent persons.

School Talks: Members regularly conduct school talks on a variety of issues important to the youth of the community. The detachment’s goal is to educate children about illegal and harmful behaviours so they may lead healthy lives.

Youth Police Academy: The objective of the YPA was to build bridges with youth some of whom are known solvent abusers and with whom the detachment has had adverse dealings.

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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:

• Local Employment
• Fishing-Camping Trips
• Municipal Services
• Red Serge Duty
• Contest Judging
• Open House Barbeques

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:

• Provincial Court
• Burntwood Regional Health Authority
• Corrections Canada
• Transportation Safety Board and Fire Commissioner
• The Northern Store and Gas Bar
• Department of National Defence
• Crisis Centre
• Drop-in Centre
• Band Constables