RCMP needs resources for alcohol enforcement: Commander
City councillors hear update on project that involved police teaming up with municipal enforcement
Staff Sgt. Vlatko Nikolovski, seen in a file photo, says Iqaluit RCMP needs more resources to continue a pilot project aimed at curbing public drinking. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Iqaluit RCMP lack the “resources” needed to continue a pilot project launched this year with municipal enforcement, which aimed to curb public drinking, says detachment commander Staff Sgt. Vlatko Nikolovski.
Coun. Kyle Sheppard asked Nikolovski during the May 26 city council meeting how police are preparing to enforce public drinking laws as warmer weather approaches.
“Unfortunately, I have no resources at this time to dedicate to that project,” Nikolovski said. “However, it’s still something that I’m looking forward to [being] able to secure resources so we can continue with that project.”
The three-month pilot project, launched in January, saw RCMP and bylaw officers conduct more foot patrols where public drinking has been an issue.
Nikolovski said the plan is to start conducting ATV patrols at “random” times and places in June, instead of continuing the project.
“I’m hoping that the ATV patrols — and along with the bylaw project if I’m able to secure resources — that it’s going to show great results, and hopefully we can reduce the number of public drinking and nuisance around town,” Nikolovski said.
Sheppard, in response, said he has “no question” that Iqaluit RCMP is “stretched very thin.”
In his monthly report to city council, Nikolovski wrote that the detachment is staffed by 26 constables, four corporals and one sergeant.
Sheppard suggested that council could formally request more support for the detachment.
“If we are able to secure more resources it’s going to be a huge benefit to the detachment,” Nikolovski said, adding that it would be great to have more officers.
In Nunavut, the RCMP is contracted by the territorial government to conduct police services in all 25 communities.
The budget for the current fiscal year proposes allocating $75.8 million to the RCMP.
At the legislative assembly on May 27, Justice Minister George Hickes said he hadn’t heard Nikolovski’s comments at the previous night’s council meeting.
In a follow-up, Justice Department policy director Stephen Shaddock wrote in an email to Nunatsiaq News that department officials met with their municipal counterparts on May 27.
“The RCMP have assured the department that they understand the City of Iqaluit’s concerns and are committed to working collaboratively toward meaningful improvements,” Shaddock said.
Shaddock also said that the Iqaluit detachment is currently “fully staffed and is expected to maintain regular rotations throughout the year.”
On May 29, Nunatsiaq News reached out to RCMP to ask what additional resources police need and how they plan to enforce public alcohol laws this summer. The RCMP did not provide a response by press time.
Coun. Amber Aglukark praised Nikolovski’s team during the May 26 council meeting, saying the patrols have been effective in deterring public drinking.
“It’s going to be really important how we work together with your team and what even the Department of Justice could do to ensure that a plan is effectively put in place and implemented to try and at least tackle this really serious issue,” she said.
Iqaluit RCMP’s April monthly report indicates that police have responded to 3,668 calls for service in the first four months of the year, 1,475 of which involved alcohol. In that same time frame, there were 79 calls that related to Nunavut’s Liquor Act.
— With files from Mosha Folger
I’m sorry Amber, but you can’t be paying much attention. I live near the beer store, and I have not seen any improvements at all. As the weather gets nicer, the worse it gets. It’s time for some of those profits from the B&W to go to the RCMP for more resources. I think we are all sick and tired of it and it’s time the GN acknowledges the problem they created and start doing something about it. Perhaps start with refusing service to the worst offenders!
As someone who knew others that worked there apparently they aren’t allowed to deny service based on actions outside of the store since “they are a government service and cannot discriminate”
She’s just hoping to twist this into a positive for the Public Safety Committee she Chairs that hasn’t done anything.
THe profits from the B&W store should go to establishing a Public Safety Enforcement force – maybe an expansion of By-Law. RCMP could be called on for back up when required. Just a thought, not a fully fledged concept but feel welcome to build on it.
I am sorry but at the end of the day Bylaw has no ability to police or enforce that. It is Territorial legislation that empowers the RCMP via the Liquor act. For a Government town that is Iqaluit sure funny how many people do not understand legislation and the levels of government that enforce and regulate it.
So then… take 1/2 of the profit from the sales funnel into policing ear-marked local use, the problem is dealt with 🙂 easy peasey.
Bylaw may not be able to take action against public drinking directly, but they do have the authority to issue fines or penalties for littering. It is clear that this issue is happening throughout the city, often involving the same individuals who are drinking in public. Without a doubt, I believe that if this were happening on the steps of the Legislative Building, it would have been addressed years ago.
There is no profit or financial gain.
Hahaha you kidding it’s the GN they can’t even clean up there beer cans blanketing this town. Hahaha profit.
Really time to start banning drunks from the B&W store. It is a privilege that too many seem to take for granted.
“Can’t handle the heat (booze)? Get out the kitchen (B&W store)”.
We need to treat alcohol as a privilege, get caught with open alcohol in a public place, loose your right to purchase for a month.
Lets put our cards on the table here. The RCMP are too busy with alcohol related calls which makes them unable to address the systemic causes? They are willing to drive ATV’s but not to walk around? Sounds suspiciously like they are content with the current situation and do not want to get out of their trucks and actually talk to the people who are hanging outside/walking around town drinking beer.
Not their jobs to deal with the systemic causes of alcohol abuse, that requires about 17 PhDs. They enforce the criminal code, that is all. The City can go ahead and hire some social workers to walk around and shake hands with drunks, but the RCMP is stretched thin enough as it is. People just need to be adults and drink in moderation. Nobody’s forcing anyone to drink.
It would be very helpful for Nunatsiaq to write an article explaining what powers are available to the municipality or the territory when it comes to alcohol sales, policing and restrictions.
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Far too often do these articles revolve around discussion of why the City is unable to do something about alcohol, without ever actually discussing if what the City is being asked to do is possible when it comes to Canadian law.
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Even in the comments already, people are wondering why the police and the City can’t do XYZ when those solutions aren’t possible according to the Canadian Constitution.
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The city does not really have many powers at their disposal to do anything about alcohol sales, policing, funding etc. Those powers aren’t something Canadian cities have power over, and I think it would be much more useful to focus discussions on what is actually possible, than wonder why the impossible isn’t being done.
• The City has NO authority over alcohol regulation beyond declaring a total probation 3x’s a year for 2 weeks at a time, which has to be signed off on by a GN Minister. beyond that it is all controlled by the GN through their acts such as the liquor act
• The City cannot unilaterally change alcohol sales rules, licensing, or territorial enforcement policies.
• Policing is provided through the RCMP under territorial and federal arrangements, not under the direction of municipal council.
• The City’s primary role is to advocate, collaborate with partners, and provide input to the Government of Nunavut. Which on this issue it has been doing for years, without success
• Many of the solutions being suggested would require changes to territorial legislation or policy, not municipal action.
• Discussions should focus on what is within GN authority and requires action by the GN.
The city can make a new by-law for public drunkenness and have their by-law officer enforce it.
If they can make traffic by-laws and have their officers enforce them, they can do the same for alcohol.
Ah yes, “just pass a bylaw” the municipal version of waving a magic wand.
City bylaws cannot override territorial or federal law. If the issue is Liquor Act enforcement, RCMP resources, or alcohol sales rules, that sits with the GN and the legislation above the City’s pay grade.
Otherwise, council could also pass bylaws making rent affordable, flights cheap, and February optional.
This kind of rhetoric from the RCMP about liquor is both disingenuous and frankly unprofessional. They are responsible for enforcing provincial laws under the terms of their agreement with the GN.
Enforcing the Liquor Act isn’t an extra thing they’ve been asked to do, it’s a contractual obligation they need to do. If they don’t have the resources to do the job they’ve agreed to, then they need to justify the need for more resources through the normal contract management processes. It’s game playing to pressure the GN and GoC through these calls for more funding with local government, and it passes the buck on their failures to properly enforce the law.
For awhile the problem was bootleggers
Now that the government has a liquor store all hell has broken lose not even the cops want to deal with it
Funny how the government thought it was easy money
Just shut down the beer store
Having the beer store enable the government to use the excuse to bring foreigners here for the jobs
So the three-month “project” has been a success? By whose standards? It is time to see City councillors out in the areas that are most affected by public drinking. No solution here, but then again, I wasn’t elected to sort this out.
It is time to drastically limit the amount of alcohol one is able to buy DAILY in the B&W Store. Has anyone considered this: based on the current limits the GN allows through its B&W Stores the equivalent of approximately 30 standard Canadian drinks to be consumed per adult per day!
If you go to any of the Bars in Iqaluit they will cut you off after the 4 to 6 drink as then you will be legally considered “intoxicated”… I hear they now even share information between themselves when a person is asked to leave so you can’t just go to the next bar…
Who enforces better the limit of drinking – I guess the Bars in town …
I know no politician will lose their place to introduce such measures … never mind completely close the B&W Store.
We had less drunks and less social issues when there was NO B&W Store – that is a fact people!
Take money from Corrections give it to RCMP. You eat better and get better treatment in jails in Nunavut than in hospitals. If it makes no sense must be the Corrections/ Justice system wasting our money, no there silly ideas . To many managers no brains. Lots of crazy ideas. Give RCMP the money from somewhere else.
Hahaha profit.
Drinking brings out the worst behavior in many people, north, S, E, and W. With the increased use of hard drugs we have a real problem, for example when walking through public transit underpasses there is the strong smell of urine and garbage. It’s pretty bad knowing that the norm is a giant step down from what it was a few years ago, and that there is no light in sight at the end of the tunnel. Homelessness and with it the unaffordable cost of living, etc. What I
What I find is we are becoming like much of the world where the gulf widens with time – that of the Haves and the Have-nots, where the penthouses and the ghettos exist side by side.