Moosomin First Nation Critical Of RCMP Actions

Moosomin First Nation Critical Of RCMP Actions

Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 13:01

 

 

The Moosomin First Nation and the FSIN are accusing the RCMP of unnecessarily causing panic and fear on the reserve in recent days.

 

The band is particularly upset about a news release the Mounties recently issued following some violent altercations on the reserve.

 

The release indicated a suspect was at large on the reserve and was considered armed and dangerous.

 

The FSIN says one media outlet reported the suspect was wanted in connection to a murder — which turned out to be false.

 

The band’s chief and council says they should have been briefed about the release before it was sent out.

 

Moosomin Chief Danny Blackstar also says his band has resorted to private police activities by hiring its own peacekeepers — because it feels the RCMP is not living up to an agreement signed in 2001 with the Moosomin and Saulteaux First Nations.

 

The deal stipulated that the officers that patrolled the reserves would be of First Nations backgrounds and they would spend 80% of their time on reserve and 20% off the reserve related to First Nations business.

 

Blackstar says the RCMP have struggled to live up to their commitment — adding “there are long periods of absences from the community and their response times to incidents are slow”.

 

The RCMP was not immediately available for comment.