Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
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Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 61 • Issue 13
RCMP detachment commander outlines priorities, predicts lower crime severity score for 2020 drug trafficking offences last year and Hastie says Thompson Chamber of that limiting the amount Commerce members heard of drugs on the street, parMarch 24 about the Thomp- ticularly cocaine, impacts son RCMP’s performance associated crimes as well. objectives for the upcoming “A lot of the violent crime year and why the command- that we see in Thompson is er thinks the city’s Crime linked to the drug trade,” Severity Index (CSI) score Hastie said. should go down when the The general investiganext edition of the annual tion section also has one survey comes out. member focus on prolific Thompson RCMP de- offender checks, which tachment officer-in-charge entails knocking on the Insp. Chris Hastie was the doors of people frequently guest speaker at the cham- involved with the courts to ber’s virtual meeting, pro- ensure that they are living viding an overview of the where they’ve been ordered detachment and statistics to to and obeying their curfew show how 2020 stacked up and other conditions. against other recent years. “It’s a way to make sure Promoted to become that people that are causing the official top cop in the all of the issues, especially Thompson detachment the serious criminal issues, late last year, Hastie was are held accountable for well prepared for the role their actions and it’s also a after serving as acting good way to minimize their officer-in-charge follow- involvement in crime,” Thompson Citizen file photo ing the departure of Insp. Hastie said. Thompson RCMP detachment officer-in-charge Insp. Chris Hastie Brian Edmonds for a posAnother focus for the ition with Manitoba RCMP RCMP is keeping roads safe to gain a sense of policing ing and following years at with consultants on a pub- would really offset the deNorth District. Prior to that, by enforcing impaired driv- here in Thompson, policing 1,714, compared to 1,366 lic safety strategy due to mand on the police here in Hastie was the staff ser- ing laws. Thompson aver- in the north and understand- in 2018 and 1,440 in 2020. be released to the public Thompson.” geant operations supervisor ages about 100 impaired ing our key partners here in “There has been a de- soon. Picking up intoxicatIn response to a question and before that, sergeant in driving charges a year re- Thompson,” says Hastie. crease in the general vol- ed people and taking them from a chamber member, charge of the general inves- cently, though it dropped A new objective this year ume of violent crime,” to the drunk tank isn’t the Hastie estimated general tigation section. His current somewhat in 2020, partly is to divert more people into said Hastie. “I think that’ll best use of RCMP officer’s duty officers in the detachposting in Thompson began due to the new option for restorative justice programs be reflected in next year’s time, he says, nor beneficial ment probably work about in 2017, but he previously officers to issue immediate instead of the formal court CSI. I’m anticipating that for those being lodged. seven to 10 overtime hours served here about 10 years driving prohibitions instead system. the crime rate as well as “There has to be a better per week. ago and has also been post- of simply laying charges, “One of my priorities the Crime Severity Index way forward to help these He also discounted the ed in Gillam and Shamat- depending on the circum- this year is to really take should become more con- people as far as having bet- effectiveness of shame tactawa, as well as in New- stances, as well as the effect a hard look at who we’re sistent with 2017 where it ter services,” Hastie said. tics such as naming offendfoundland and Labrador, of the COVID-19 pandemic introducing to the criminal was 338 and 2018 where it “I really think we as a city ers in police press releases which is close to his home and of Thompson RCMP justice system and really was 367, not 501.9 where have to get behind the in- as a deterrent to crime, notprovince of Nova Scotia. traffic services Const. Ryan pushing the alternative of it was in 2019.” itiative of the sobering cen- ing that one person who has “Most of my 16 years of Flemming, who issued restorative justice referIn recent years, Thomp- tre as the answer.” been named in press releasservice in the RCMP have 1,500 tickets by himself rals,” Hastie says. son RCMP have responded StreetReach North is an es in the past was recently been in the City of Thomp- in the past year, including Looking over the last to an average of about example of a non-police arrested for drug trafficking son,” said Hastie, who is in more than 450 for driving few years, 2019 was an 20,000 calls for service agency helping to alleviate for at least the third time. charge of 28 general duty unregistered vehicles, 143 outlier that led to Thomp- per year, with a quarter to pressure on RCMP resour“Naming people doesn’t officers at the Thompson for driving without a valid son’s CSI score rocketing a third relating to pubic ces while providing better really work, don’t think,” Nickel Belt News photoI by Ian Graham RCMP detachment, as of well driver’s licence, 96Gisele for deMeulles up in the has latest version of about intoxication, disturbances to in theChurchill. clients they he said, and can also perAddictions Foundation Manitoba northern director written a book her experiences growing service up, mostly as the six-member gener- driving with a suspended the StatsCan survey, which and mischief. An average cater to – youth who are petuate stereotypes. “You BYinvestigation IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather write and things that you have I’m just as bad, right?’ was not 6,000 a very safe thing when people say name al section, to licence apprehended 13 ‘Oh, was released last fall. of about prisoners are swallow vulnerable to exploitation. someone and it deEDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET these and to figureprohibited out. It’s pretty clear I have do but jumped at it. I that residents dangers of as polar which focuses on organized to people by court “Theall spike instories crime rate lodged perI year in Thomp“In Churchill 2018, we had almost and picts the certain people beThough she’s now written get through.” Iinneed capture them for thought thatcells, was exciting just find of somewhere deMeulles said if it crime, drug trafficking and when ordersI from driving ing linked to [crime.]” 2019towas directly relatson RCMP though should 2,600 reports missing bears, a bookserious about her experienDeMeulles wrote my really until the itplane landed and easier to live.said Hastie, had viableto she would other crimes, the “He’s had said greatshe success ed tograndchildren an increase in violent in 2019 reached nearly persons,” Inbeen response another ces growing uppublic in Churchill, book, Whispers in because they will beHastie. lost if they the and “To say,were ‘Those people question, have movedHastie back tosaid Churchtwo-member com- her during histitled patrols across the persons crime,” said 7,400started while inthrowing 2020 it was most for AWOL the Addictions Foundation of the Stories from the I“Idon’t.” andthe I realized, ‘Holy to liveyear there. in a heartbeat. munity relations unit, and city Wind: of Thompson as well know I’ve heard people fuel less off than average. As choose youth, “Last weThey had ill federal government prohibManitoba northern director - Life in Churchill for talk She also has reputation probably sitting should just1,500 leave,’and is quite “I miss the shoreline, one traffic services con- North as on the highways ,” says about the ayear of the cats, of theI was morning of March just under a lot iting assault-type rifles lastI Gisele writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. like on bomb.’” It’s work quite of disrethe rock, I misshave the stable.deMeulles He also said oversees Hastie. machete and violence 24,a only 906 prisoners simplistic. of this is the the miss year likely wouldn’t ing wasn’t something she “I justofsort of thought, “I had a varied Another thing that spectful. If weteam werehere in the though the 10-member Thompson Two of the detach- that andsuch crimes suchhisas have been lodged in 2021, StreetReach in polar much bears effect even on people in always thought she which would you know what, this androbberies I would tell her on pace was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and rural detachment, ment’s objectives forhisthe tory armed andpeople rob- spurred a 3,600-per-year Thompson.” Thompson. do. this stuff in my times facing wemore would the Hudson andbreak they and would go, hard provides policing services tory, next year aren’tthat’s focused on stories beries and enters. Having cityscream com- I really “Mostmiss people who legal“We’ll see how Churchill this year I think “InPaint my Lake youthProvincial I never head, it’s crime going but to be not true, is it?’ on I’d the go, since Bay[panRail- about thatsafety so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When go from reducing ongone fos- ‘That’s They weigh heavily playsthe outHudson when the munity officers ly possess firearms in Ithis felt at writing,” I don’t writerelations it down,”with she ‘Yeah true.’ They’d go, way the–option to do that? back standing on the suspended operations Park,good Thicket Portage she and if tering better Crimeit’s Severity Index and demic] restrictions are re- have (CSOs) there are currentarea home, are compliant,” he said. “But when moved didn’t that, did north “My kids areand nothow go- ‘You Gillam last spring. now they’re Baywho looking on Pikwitonei in the Isouth to said. Indigenous people that led to do its all significant laxed,”ofsaid Hastie, noting Ilythink only right two, while at one Hudson said. Those own out illegal to Thompson to get into if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really that “It nearly used to be of a really likewere they’re pawns just gives an Brochet, Lac Brochet, Ta- ing besttotoget dealit with generally spike.” half those feeling time there as many as the gunsbay, areitoften linkedyou to the the school social it’s something I’vewho al- old.’ was like, actually thriving large a political that’s incredible doule Lake of and Splitwork, Lake and law-abiding people In I 2018, for‘No, example, lodged this yearcommunity have been in eight and thegame city and currently drug trade.sense. You feel so at thatnorth. point I had to write ways mom to there I did allwere that before I was and it’s just dwindled sadfor for them andisyou feel great.” in the end upwanted on the my wrong side 34 robbery intoxicated persons, down com- really budgets four because – wouldI small “There evidence of gun forFor university and realized, Mylaw. mom’s an elder and 27,’ and theycompared went ‘What?’” suchtoa abot small42 population the people of ChurchNow that got the upcoming fiscal do. of the complaints to 94 to pared per cent think also free up resources so trafficking here she’s in Thomp‘Holy, I’m not bad April at this, artist, she’s junior got so in Looking deMeulles under her belt, some of now,” really want to on thrive. year, which begins 1, she’s “Weanare a very 2019 andback, 79 last year. last year and 37says. per cent ill RCMP could focus more one son,”book he said. “Guns are right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories experiences are things built their may try the detachment’s priorities RCMP detachment; a belot those Breaking and entering has in Though 2019. she’s not there They’ve serious crimes than worlds public deMeulles traded for says drugsshe and those a lot of reducing skill in university she here always her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. include crime via cause of people thistells is their also seen a big swing, from In addition to his duties intoxication and other nuis- guns are traded to other and out of there with stories at Parks Canada in 105 “I in did2018 sometopretty bizarre sister and other family if someone came to you and people, “I haveetc. another book do in drugcame trafficking enforcefirst exposure to Indigenous 208 the fol- her as detachment commandance complaints. People a veryand strong skillprolific in my Churchill I’veit’s always like fuelthen hauls into the members ‘I’m you have to me,” “It’s a darker are. co-chair said, ment targeting policing soand I think bene- stuff lowing year back down er, Hastiestill is also “We as sorry, a whole are overtrafficshe insays. handguns or are writing and confi dence inin hounded her, more ‘Please, just high Arctic -35,” were said of“My cousin owns the leave home more about personoffenders. The general ficial to have … culto 81 in 2020.at Assaults the community safety taxedyour on the bestcommunity of days,” story, in possession of handguns my writing. I write very put on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn store committee, there,” she and we’resaid.”Having going to displace and struggles. vestigation section charged turalit awareness education also significantly higher in hardware and well being Hastie a al forgrowth their participation in clear it. It’s there. you because story on me than until after. That was a says. all Maybe in the next five years moreand thanthat’s 60 people with for activities with theyour members 2019 in the precedwhich has been working you full somewhere complementelse of and CSOs this trade.” BY IAN GRAHAM
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”