First Nations Police Governance
Growing out of my work on police governance in Canada, working closely with the Canadian Association of Police Governance, I have become involved in providing support and service to both the CAPG First Nations Governance Council and individual First Nations as they work to improve policing in their Nation and, with it, build governance of this vital service. They do so with many constraints, most notably the lack of funding for full policing services and developing governing approaches that reflect basic indigenous values. The inherent right and duty to provide for public safety within a First Nation means dealing with an array of short and long term factors, many of which have reduced that capacity to govern and oversee the use of the police power. On the other hand, the initiatives of the CAPG and individual First Nations to take control of this role creates hope for the future.
My role has been one of researcher, policy drafter and teacher. The material here reflects the extent of the work that has been done to date. Much of it is built on the settler model of police governance. In fact, funding agreements for First Nations policing often include the requirement that there be a police commission. Many First Nations have created models of effective police governance and these should be celebrated. The forward challenge is to build a model that reflects per-colonial indigenous values in the context of modern police practice that First Nations deliver now or aspire to.
My role has been one of researcher, policy drafter and teacher. The material here reflects the extent of the work that has been done to date. Much of it is built on the settler model of police governance. In fact, funding agreements for First Nations policing often include the requirement that there be a police commission. Many First Nations have created models of effective police governance and these should be celebrated. The forward challenge is to build a model that reflects per-colonial indigenous values in the context of modern police practice that First Nations deliver now or aspire to.
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Background
Progress Summary Update provided to CAPG Conference, First Nations Governance Day, Montreal, July, 2017. Access here. Summary of Research Findings Working with CAPG and a number of First Nations leaders, research is now under way on First Nations police governance to determine the state of oversight of FN policing, the ways commissions operate and their future needs. A short summary of the work to date is available Access here. An Early Overview of First Nations Police Governance This report, First Nations Police Governance,was prepared for Chief Gilbert Whiteduck of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation through the Carleton Centre for Innovation, Carleton University in 2014. Click here. |
Governance Training Needs and Modules
With the support of Public Safety Canada, CAPG is leading the development of training modules for First Nations police governance. This is a project in process, with a gaps analysis, overview of per-colonial public safety and three training modules completed. To access this material, click on the title. Survey of Information Gaps Pre-Colonial First Nations Policing Training Modules 1-3: |
