Justice Minister and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro and Siksika Nation Chief Ouray Crowfoot sign a memorandum of understanding on safety and public security for members of the Siksika Nation. (Photo supplied by the Government of Alberta - https://bit.ly/3uX3Y1C)

By Justin Goulet

Province and Siksika Nation sign agreement focused on policing services

Jul 18, 2022 | 11:50 AM

GLEICHEN, AB – The Alberta Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Siksika Nation. It aims to create a new police service in Siksika.

The Siksika Nation had its own police service from 1992 to 2002, but the 10-year tripartite agreement that established the organization was not renewed. Since that time, the RCMP detachment in Gleichen has been responsible for policing in Siksika.

The MOU will see officials work together on various initiatives to improve public safety for members of the Siksika Nation. More specifically, discussions between the parties will focus on developing a funding framework for a new police service.

Alberta Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro said, “The Siksika Nation has identified establishing a police service as a priority for making its communities safer, and Alberta’s government believes in working with communities to help them address important public safety needs.”

“We’re looking forward to productive discussions that will help the Siksika Nation realize its goal of building a safer community for its members,” Shandro stated.

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The province and Siksika Nation are working toward their own agreement because a federally administered program that provides funding for Indigenous police services has been frozen.

Chief Ouray Crowfoot of the Siksika Nation said, “It is critical we have our own force back on the Nation. Our own force will reduce response time from police, which could save lives in those critical minutes or seconds in life-threatening situations.”

“From a cost perspective, it would also be more efficient, as our own force would provide more preventative measures and not simply reactive measures to the community. The future is extremely bright for Siksika, and we are excited to continue to work with the Alberta and federal governments to develop the best outcome for all involved,” he remarked.

The Siksika Nation has explored the possibility of setting up a new police service in recent years. It hired an outside firm to conduct a feasibility study in 2018. The Alberta government contributed $30,000 toward the study, a third of its cost. Since that time, additional research has been conducted by the Siksika Nation, as well as a recent business case. However, the Siksika Nation cannot proceed due to the federal government freezing the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, which is under review.

Although talks between the province and Siksika Nation are focused on developing a funding formula that does not rely on the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, the MOU also directs the parties to find other possible sources of funding from Ottawa and existing initiatives.