New Brunswick’s Indigenous Affairs minister says the province would be open to the idea of community-led policing in First Nation communities.
But not quite yet, said Keith Chiasson, who was put forth for an interview after CBC News requested one with the Department of Public Safety.
Chiasson said an independent policing model is “on the table,” but he clarified it’s not a “yes or no” answer right now as the province is working with First Nations to determine the best way forward.
It’s been called for by community leaders for years after four police shooting deaths of Indigenous people since 2020 in New Brunswick, including the death of Bronson Paul last week in Neqotkuk First Nation.
Chiasson said it wasn’t a “yes or no” because of challenges still to be worked out around how resolutions from band councils would be enforced in the judicial system if they were to escalate there.
One example has been banishment resolutions, which banish “undesirable” people from the community. New Brunswick police agencies have refused to enforce them because they’re outside the province’s legal code.
An RCMP car stationed outside the home in Nequotkuk First Nation where Bronson Paul was shot and killed by an RCMP officer. (Myfanwy Davies/CBC)
“So we’re not quite there yet,” Chiasson said of Indigenous policing.
“There is a lot of work to be done, but those discussions have started.”
He said there are ongoing discussions with chiefs,
This story was brought to Nouzie by RSS. The original post can be found on https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/indigenous-community-policing-9.7063838?cmp=rss
