Northwest Territories RCMP continue to work closely with local, territorial and national partners to ensure a coordinated response to the current, fluid and ongoing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Police services remain intact with 24-7-365 availability across the Northwest Territories. If a person requires police services, CALL your local detachment 1111 number or 911. NT RCMP will respond as appropriate. We want to remind you that due to the pandemic, police are using additional COVD10 pre-screening questions in our Operational Communications Centre (OCC) to better prepare for a COVID-19 related response.
Throughout the adjustments to the pandemic environment, NT RCMP has taken a multi-layered and measured approach to the continuation of policing services in the Territory. This has allowed us to continue our basic police services, with adjustments to the level of services available in each detachment area, as supported by current local situations. With this approach, there is no "one-size" application to the detachment jurisdictions. This has allowed us to be flexible and responsive to changes in the health environment of our communities.
With the coming of Fall, we anticipate that we may have more adjustments to make. We have heard from southern areas, that COVID-19 cases are rising in certain areas of Canada, and we must be prepared to take action, should the virus present itself again in the Northwest Territories. We are prepared.
Our employees are equipped with additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including following the recommendations of public health officials, the RCMP is providing front line employees with non-medical masks. Front-line police officers can use these masks while on duty in situations where personal protective equipment (PPE) is not required but where physical distancing may be difficult or unpredictable. Wearing non-medical masks as a courtesy to your fellow community members is becoming more common.
The RCMP understands that some people may be uncomfortable with a police officer approaching them with a mask on. We want to make sure that the people in the communities we serve know they can ask to see police identification, if it is safe to do so. For this reason, RCMP officers will be carrying one, or all, of the following with them:
- · RCMP badge
- · RCMP photo identification
- · RCMP name tag on their uniform
In most situations, the RCMP officer you are interacting with will be able to provide you with identification or information to verify that they are an RCMP officer.
Superintendent Jeff Christie, NT RCMP Criminal Operations Officer advises "As we move into the fall season of this current pandemic, we want to assure the people of the Northwest Territories that public safety remains our focus. As the police of jurisdiction in the Northwest Territories, we will continue to provide policing services and will maintain operations at our RCMP Detachments".
If you notice anything concerning, or if anything seems "off," call your local police, Crime Stoppers or, if you believe there may be an immediate danger, call 911.
As always, anyone who witnesses suspicious activity is asked to contact either your local RCMP detachment at the -1111 number, 9-1-1 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or text: nwtnutips to 274637.
Under section 130 of the Criminal Code, it is illegal to impersonate a peace officer. Anyone caught doing so faces up to five years in prison.
