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Board Chair Report
2019-2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Mike Metatawabin Board Chair
Wacheeyea, I would like to extend greetings to the Leadership and community on behalf of our Police Service Board. This past year has been one of growth and change. I want to take this opportunity to recognize and thank our former Chief of Police, Terry Armstrong for his exemplary leadership and dedicated work in operations. It was through his diligence and commitment that we were able to achieve a suitable platform for legislative change. Terry’s retirement also brought about a change in command for NAPS. Our new Chief of Police could not have had a finer mentor. Chief Roland Morrison was formally announced to his post as Chief of Police in April of 2019 during the 25th Anniversary celebrations. Roland had been the A/Chief since September of 2018. This past fiscal was the second year of a three year agreement. The agreement brought about a balance in salaries for our officers as well as an increase to our ranks as we continue to approach the fulfilment of the 79 additional officers negotiated as part of the agreement. As NAPS envelops this growth we also have to ensure our administration and civilian staff capabilities are strengthened so that we can provide adequate support to the front line.
Recruitment of our First Nations people remains a high priority. The Board has heard from leadership on this issue and we have passed on that message to the administration. The Oshki-Wenjack Institute has added the police foundations program to its list of studies offered to its students. NAPS administration has visited the classes to encourage the students on the policing career path. Our recruitment officer has also taken on in class course instruction to assist the students. In addition our human resource department maintains close contact with the students to ensure they have all the tools they need to assist them with their career choice. We are doing everything possible to recruit First Nations as a principle secondly we know that if they are from the North retention is less difficult. One of the long standing issues for NAPS has been the safety and adequacy of the workplace itself. The majority of the detachments have been replaced by modular units and our new builds are brick and mortar style buildings which have a longer lifespan. There are two such units being constructed in Bearskin Lake and Sachigo Lake with a plan for those to be finished early in 2020. There are a handful of other detachments slated for construction. We are patiently waiting for Public Safety to release calls for proposals in 2021 to get those underway. As for long term plans operations will be looking at a plan to begin replacing the modular buildings in the next 5 to 10 years.
