NWT RCMP reach out via online news releases

RCMP Cst. Elenore Sturko sits in front of her computer, looking at the Northwest Territories’ “G” Division’s website. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)

YELLOWKNIFE — When RCMP members in Yellowknife have something to tell the public, they can be sure their message will get out quickly.

That’s in contrast with Iqaluit and other places in Nunavut, where residents must sometimes wait for days until information is released to the media and then passed on.

Since Cst. Elenore Sturko took over as communications officer for the RCMP G Division in the Northwest Territories, the former journalist, who joined the RCMP six years ago, has been using online releases, posted on the division’s website to let people in the city and around the territory know what’s going on.

For example, on Sept. 17, Sturko was able to get the word out in an online news release that a high-risk offender, originally from Pangnirtung, had been released.

Jonah Kejuajuk was released from custody on court-imposed conditions following his Sept. 17 court appearance on three counts of breaching conditions.

“Two of the charges were stayed, a guilty plea was entered on the third charge, time served was granted on that charge,” she wrote.

That update came after releases circulated Aug. 28 when Sturko posted an exceptional warning to the public saying that Keyuajuk had violated terms of his bail and that he was “considered by police to be a violent sexual offender who poses a risk of significant harm to the public.”

“The Yellowknife RCMP is issuing this information and warning after careful deliberation of all related issues, including privacy concerns, in the belief that it is clearly in the public interest to inform members of the community about Jonah Keyuajuk,” said the warning which was accompanied by a photo of a tattooed man.

Shortly after he was apprehended — an event Sturko also reported here, with a follow-up news release on his scheduled court appearance, as well.

But that wasn’t the end of Keyuajuk’s story: on Sept. 21 Sturko reported that police arrested him again for breaching the conditions of his release Sept. 20, and that he was to appear in court Sept. 21.

Sturko posts something nearly every day, in news releases with titles like “RCMP seize vodka concealed in juice jugs.”

“The fact that it is quickly visible gives people the opportunity to deal with it,” she said.

And Sturko said the news releases gives the information directly to the public from the police without any overlay by media.

The online news releases also encourage people to offer tips online.

Each news release suggests that “anyone with information about these, or other crimes or suspicious activities in the Yellowknife area, please contact the Yellowknife RCMP at 867-669-1111 or contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 nwtnutips.com, click on “submit a web tip” text: nwtnutips to 274637.”

In contrast to the NWT, Nunavut’s V division has only a few releases posted on its website.

In Quebec, the Sûreté du Québec out of Rouyn-Noranda sends out daily emails to journalists, but only mentions Nunavik incidents when the provincial police force are involved.

As for the Kativik Regional Police Force, its overseer, the Kativik Regional Government, generally says little about what’s going on in Nunavik with its police force, except at quarterly KRG meetings.