St. Pierre-Jolys Detachment

Contact Information:
Box 430
St. Pierre-Jolys, MB
R0A 1V0
Ph: (204) 433-7908
Fax: (204) 433-3212

Location:
St-Pierre-Jolys detachment is situated 60 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg and covers approximately 914 square miles.

Local Population:
Approximately 35,000 people. It is the only bilingual (French/English) detachment in Manitoba. The largest cultural demographics in our region are Francophone and Mennonite.

RCMP Detachment:
The detachment consists of 14 RCMP officers; four support staff, and a number of auxiliary members and volunteers.

COMMUNITY-BASED PROBLEM SOLVING:

Often, there are groups 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:

South-East Interagency Committee: This committee addresses the shared concerns of several service agencies within the southeast region of Manitoba. The committee, consisting of 25 other agencies, meets bimonthly. We have been able to address shared concerns and prevent overlapping issues.

Community Response Unit (CRU): The community of Ile des Chenes was concerned about police response time to alarms due to the community’s remoteness from the RCMP office. As result of the numerous alarms in this community (mostly false alarms), a community response program was started in the village. This unit is a volunteer organization, which responds to residential and business “alarms” and secures the scene until police arrival.

Community Liaison: The detachment meets regularly with the following Town and Community Councils to address the needs and problems within the respective districts: the Town of Niverville, the Village of St. Pierre, and the Rural Municipalities of DeSalaberry, Ritchot, Hanover and Tache. The RCMP has also had community meetings in the following communities to address specific community concerns: Grunthal, Landmark, Lorette, St. Malo, St. Adolphe, St. Agathe, Ile des Chenes, and St. Genevieve.

Community Consultive Group: A Community Consultive Group was organized to address the policing needs of our detachment communities and municipalities. This is an open group to build rapport between interested partnerships and to maintain a level of accountability with our clients.

RESTORATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE JUSTICE:

Nationwide, members of the RCMP are involved in the daily operations of alternative justice forums, whether it is 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.

Youth Justice Committee: As an alternative to court, we work closely with three volunteer groups, based out of the Rural Municipality of Tache, the Town of Niverville, and the communities of Grunthal and St. Pierre-Jolys. We are strong supporters of this program and work hard at maintaining a high level (90%) of non-repeat offenders. Our investigators are encouraged and directed to use discretion including verbal warnings, written warnings, education, apologies, and restitution. Alternatives to charges are encouraged, keeping public interest in consideration.

Justice Committee Coordinator: East Manitoba Justice Committee has received a $50,000 grant, which will be put toward hiring a full-time Justice Committee Coordinator. This person will be responsible for training, funding and program development.

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 to 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:

School Liaison: Members are assigned to each of the 15 schools in the service area. These members liaise with the school regularly and are responsible for delivery of programs and presentations as requested. Our goal is to regularly attend schools and visit with the students, teachers and principals.

Macdonald Youth Services: Situated just south of St-Pierre-Jolys, this youth center provides a home for Level 5 female young offenders. These counsellors work hard at rehabilitating these youths in order for them to become productive members of the society. The RCMP encourages and supports their efforts by giving several motivational presentations on topics such as drugs and the effects on the unborn child during pregnancy, anger management, setting goals, and the importance of education.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE): We have trained two officers as DARE instructors and are receiving community support in bringing drug education and awareness to many of our local schools.

Other initiatives include:

• Citizens on Patrol
• St. Pierre Snowmobile/ATV Club
• Impaired Driving
• Snowmobile Safety
• Rural Crime Watch
• Neighbourhood Watch
• Bike Rodeo
• Kidz-Printz
• Auto Theft Prevention.

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 daily 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:

• Auxiliary Constable Program
• Red Serge Duty & Parades
• Law Enforcement Torch Run
• Detachment Tours

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:

• Chamber of Commerce
• Niverville Town Council
• RM of Ritchot, Reeve & Council
• RM of Tache, Reeve & Council
• RM of Hanover, Reeve & Council
• RM of DeSalaberry, Reeve & Council
• Partners in Law Enforcement