The Alberta government and the Siksika Nation have signed an agreement to work together to establish a self-administered police service for their community. .“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,” said Alberta Justice Minister and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro in a Monday press release. .The release said establishing a self-administered police service is consistent with the agreement’s principles, which call for indigenous programs to meet the community’s safety concerns. .Siksika Nation Chief Ouray Crowfoot said it is critical for the group to have its own police force. .“Our own force will reduce response time from police, which could save lives in those critical minutes or seconds in life-threatening situations,” said Crowfoot. .“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.” .Siksika Nation had its own police service from 1992 to 2002, but the 10-year agreement establishing it was not renewed. The RCMP detachment in Gleichen, AB, has been responsible for policing in Siksika since 2002..Siksika had explored establishing a new police service in recent years. It hired an outside firm to conduct a feasibility study..Additional research has been done on establishing a self-administered police service. However, the Sikiska Nation could not proceed under the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program because the Canadian government has frozen the program while it conducts a review..“We’re looking forward to productive discussions that will help the Siksika Nation realize its goal of building a safer community for its members,” said Shandro. .Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Siksika in June for an historic signing ceremony that ended a decades-old land claim with a $1.3-billion cheque. .READ MORE: Trudeau hands Siksika Nation $1.3 billion to settle land claim.Trudeau and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller addressed a crowd of Siksika members and their elders. The ceremony began with Trudeau giving a speech flanked by First Nation chiefs and council. .“We're gathered to give ourselves a chance to start rebuilding trust between us — nation-to-nation — and we're doing it here in a significant place,” he said.
