RED PHEASANT CREE NATION — Following a homicide on Red Pheasant Cree Nation, the Nation’s leadership is calling for the RCMP to have a more proactive relationship with the community.
According to Battlefords RCMP, they were dispatched to a firearms complaint on Red Pheasant Cree Nation at approximately 3 a.m. on March 6. Officers located a deceased man on a road. He was identified as a 21-year-old man from Red Pheasant Cree Nation and RCMP notified his family. The RCMP Major Crimes Unit is now investigating.
“We are saddened by the tragic loss of a young man from our community and the trauma to the family and our entire community,” said Red Pheasant Cree Nation Chief Clint Wuttunee in a prepared statement.
Wuttunee criticized the police saying earlier proactive involvement by the RCMP could have prevented the death. He described RCMP involvement in Red Pheasant Cree Nation as reactive rather than proactive.
“This is a systemic issue that is not an issue isolated to Red Pheasant. We are unable to rely on the assistance from the RCMP as a positive resource to help keep our community safe.”
Wuttunee said the RCMP haven’t played the preventative role in controlling the violence in the community that the community has sought.
“Despite pleas for earlier involvement to assist our community in relation to gang and drug violence, the RCMP have become involved in our community when it was far too late. Instead of providing preventative services and support when gang and drug related issues are raised with RCMP directly, the RCMP hesitantly becomes involved only when serious and often life-threatening issues arise.”
A spokesperson from RCMP media relations in Regina, responded Monday saying the RCMP acknowledge that Red Pheasant Cree Nation is grieving the tragic loss of a community member.
“The Saskatchewan RCMP values our relationships with community leadership and members. We are committed to being responsive to a community’s specific policing needs – consultation and collaboration is key to this. The RCMP will continue to collaborate with Red Pheasant Cree Nation and other community services and partners to address concerns they may have.”
The RCMP said that Battlefords RCMP officers respond to calls for service and proactively patrols Red Pheasant Cree Nation and all other communities in their detachment area.
“As the provincial police service, the Saskatchewan RCMP have many resources that supplement the work frontline detachment officers do every day. This includes our Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan Unit, Gang Task Force and Crime Reduction Teams, which have proven effective in taking drugs, firearms and criminals out of our communities.”
Wuttunee also said the RCMP's processing of the scene and leaving the young man's body on display for hours was insensitive, and unnecessarily traumatized children and families.
“We understand an investigation into the death has been commenced by RCMP, but for our community and our leadership there is a lack of confidence that the investigation will be treated as seriously as investigations that take place outside of our community, endemic in First Nations communities across Saskatchewan.”
The RCMP said they can’t provide specifics on this incident due to the ongoing investigation but added that officer safety reasons existed, which impacted their investigators and the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service from examining the scene – an open road area - immediately.
“We issued a release on March 6 advising the public of an increased police presence, which included our RCMP Critical Incident Response Team, at Red Pheasant Cree Nation and to avoid the area after officers responded to a firearms complaint,” said the RCMP. “Any further information is considered evidence that would be disclosed during court proceedings.”
The RCMP said every investigation and situation is unique.
“Generally speaking, circumstances such as examination of a scene by the investigating unit and the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service must be completed to ensure proper documentation and preservation of evidence specific to an investigation."
While criticizing the RCMP, Wuttunee said the First Nation has a willingness to build a relationship with RCMP to better serve the community.
Likewise, the RCMP said the Battlefords RCMP Detachment is dedicated to addressing any concerns raised by Red Pheasant First Nation and leadership.
“The RCMP working together, collaboratively, with the communities we serve and other key community services and partners, is how together we can effect change."
Wuttunee said that in response to the tragic event, chief and council instructed Red Pheasant health clinic to provide a debriefing, which occurred the day following the incident. Counselling services and supports will remain ongoing. The clinic has four mental health resources, and these resources have been made available to the community, he said, adding that he encouraged members to contact the clinic if they need support or services.
The RCMP said their “thoughts continue to be with the family of the deceased and the community during this tragic time."
“The Saskatchewan RCMP continues to investigate the homicide on Red Pheasant First Nation. All investigations are taken seriously. Currently there are RCMP resources from multiple units dedicated to this active and ongoing investigation. Many interviews have been completed and scene examinations have occurred.”
Regina RCMP media relations said the Saskatchewan RCMP’s priority is the safety and security of the communities – and the people – they serve.
“We are committed to continuing to work with our communities and provide the most efficient and effective policing services possible, being responsive to the ever-changing policing needs of Saskatchewan communities. Our service approach is based on consultation with communities. North Battleford Detachment is using a flexible, community-led model to engage with communities.”
This story has been updated to reflect comments from RCMP.
