[IPSM] kanesatake redeployment article

[shelly]

      Kanesatake redeployment
      Surete aboriginal officers to make up part of police unit at Mohawk community
              
            BRENDA BRANSWELL 
            The Gazette 


      Saturday, January 08, 2005


      The Surete du Quebec is assigning aboriginal officers within its ranks to help out with patrols at Kanesatake.

      The eight to 10 aboriginal officers will make up part of the 16-member provincial police unit at the Mohawk community near Oka, Public Security Minister Jacques Chagnon said yesterday.

      That will ensure "there are native members of the Surete du Quebec who are present at all times on the territory," Chagnon said in an interview.

      Kanesatake political rivals Steven Bonspille and Grand Chief James Gabriel - who rarely agree publicly on anything - both called it a positive step.

      "I thought it was a good initiative," said Bonspille, who plans to run for grand chief in the Kanesatake elections, slated for Feb. 19.

      The Mohawk community has been the scene of drawn-out political infighting. A policing dispute last January turned ugly when Gabriel's house was burned to the ground.

      Yesterday, Gabriel said the makeup of the Kanesatake Mohawk Police patrols still has to be negotiated. The KMP, which Gabriel supports, has been prevented from patrolling in the community.

      Gabriel said it would be common sense to bring in new people as long, as they can be agreed upon. He and Bonspille's camp would have to agree on who the 10 new Mohawk police officers would be. But, he added, they would be led by police chief

      Terry Isaac and assistant chief Bob Patton - both of whom are opposed by Bonspille.

      Bonspille said he told a Quebec government official yesterday the current policing agreement "is the most contentious issue in my community. You could dress the pope up in a KMP uniform and he still wouldn't be accepted at the door."

      Bonspille suggested putting the KMP "on ice for now and let it be a campaign issue."

      Elections in Kanesatake have been put off several times since the band council's mandate expired July 13.

      Chagnon suggested the SQ's decision to assign some of its aboriginal officers to Kanesatake will help speed up the electoral process.

      Gabriel has said proper security needs to be re-established so band members can vote without feeling afraid. He complained last fall that the SQ was doing little to ensure residents' safety.

      The provincial police force has been patrolling the Mohawk community for almost a year, SQ spokesperson Constable Isabelle Gendron said. "We patrol the area, we answer emergency calls, we do investigations on the territory," she said.

      The force is adding the aboriginal officers to patrol locally to improve its service, she added.

      "It's only that, because it's going very well at Kanesatake now," Gendron said.

      Bonspille said he expected a positive reaction from residents to the SQ's announcement. But to respect Mohawk custom, a meeting is to be held Thursday night to present the idea to the people, he said.

      Jeff Heinrich of The Gazette contributed to this report

      bbranswell at thegazette.canwest.com

      © The Gazette (Montreal) 2005
     




     
     
     
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