Nunavik police chief ‘honoured’ to step into permanent role
Improving policing services in the region among Jean-François (Jeff) Bernier’s priorities
Jean-François (Jeff) Bernier, who has been serving as interim chief of Nunavik Police Service since last November, said he’s honoured to accept the position of permanent chief. (File photo by Dominique Gené)
Nunavik’s police chief Jean-François (Jeff) Bernier says he is “honoured” to step into the role permanently and is ready to tackle the challenges that come with the job.
“It’s really the challenge that [this position] represents and the uniqueness of the North that grew on me,” he said in an interview.
“I’m sure we can achieve very much for all the 14 communities. But I won’t lie, there are tough challenges ahead.”
Bernier had served as interim chief since November as part of an agreement with the Quebec City Police Service.
He recently announced his retirement from the Quebec service to take on the new role in Nunavik, and his appointment as permanent police chief was announced Tuesday by Kativik Regional Government.
Bernier told regional councillors in February that violent crimes and confrontations with police are rising in Nunavik. Statistics Canada reported that crime in the region is far more serious and violent than in the rest of Quebec.
Bernier said in the interview he is working with the public security committee, jointly run by KRG and Makivvik Corp., to put in place an action plan to help prevent violence and substance use through education, and access to medical and mental health care.
An audit launched in July into the Nunavik Police Service after three people were killed by police in eight months has been completed, he said.
Bernier said he is working on the audit’s recommendations, which focus on training, better recruitment and improving Inuit representation in the police service.
As of February, three of the 181 officers in the Nunavik Police Service are Inuit.
Bernier said he will present an action plan for improving Nunavik policing service to the KRG executive committee and regional council within the next several months.
He said the goal isn’t to rebuild the Nunavik Police Service from scratch, because it’s a good service.
“It’s about finding ways to adapt it so that it best meets the expectations of citizens and the reality of traditional Inuit culture,” he said in French.
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