Kugluktuk residents are calling for more officers, higher police visibility and a dedicated night shift to tackle growing crime and a sense that the Mounties are not responsive enough to calls.

Also, the SA国际影视传媒渦s and themSA国际影视传媒� mentality has to cease, said Kugluktuk councillor Nadene McMenemy.

Those were some of the points raised during a public meeting that attracted close to 100 people at the Kugluktuk recreation centre on Friday evening.

Some community members expressed frustration over SA国际影视传媒渘ot being acknowledged as equalsSA国际影视传媒� by the , McMenemy said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey felt completely disconnected from them,SA国际影视传媒� McMenemy said of the gulf between residents and law enforcement. SA国际影视传媒淣ot only are they upset about unanswered calls, some felt that it was like, Why bother? ISA国际影视传媒檓 not going to be taken seriously. They feared going there to report (a crime). That should never beSA国际影视传媒� you should never be afraid of a police officer to report a crime.SA国际影视传媒�

commanding officer Amanda Jones told the audience that the is developing a course to educate officers on Inuit culture. She also spoke of interest in reviving special constable or auxiliary constable positions. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 an administrative position open at the detachment which, when filled, will free up officers to spend more hours on the streets instead of doing paperwork.

Mounties are facing fatigue from a higher volume of calls territory-wide, according to Jones. In Kugluktuk, the number of requests for assistance has jumped substantially since alcohol restrictions were lifted in December, following an October plebiscite.

Resident Barb Adjun, who had been lobbying for a community meeting, said the and the Hamlet of Kugluktuk both need to do more.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur protection, and the protection of others, does not have to stop just because the liquor restriction was lifted,SA国际影视传媒� Adjun stated. SA国际影视传媒淪A国际影视传媒橸ou guys (local residents) voted for itSA国际影视传媒� is not an excuseSA国际影视传媒� there is no excuse when it involves children or youth.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒業ncrease your workforceSA国际影视传媒�

McMenemy expressed sympathy for the officers being busy but she said itSA国际影视传媒檚 the and territorial governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 problem to solve.

The Kugluktuk detachment had six officers until 2012, but then it dropped to five, where it stands now. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 despite the communitySA国际影视传媒檚 population growth to nearly 1,600 people. With transfers and days off, there can sometimes be very few Mounties available, McMenemy noted.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou have to increase your workforce. That government finds funds for everything,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淟ife and death should be your priority. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the bottom line. Nothing is more important than saving the life of somebody.SA国际影视传媒�

The Hamlet of Kugluktuk plans to help out by hiring a second bylaw officer and itSA国际影视传媒檚 working towards enhancing its womenSA国际影视传媒檚 and menSA国际影视传媒檚 shelters.

McMenemy said the recent problems are not all the SA国际影视传媒檚 responsibility. The community, which is grieving three recent deaths in incidents that involved liquor, has to confront its alcohol issues, she acknowledged.

SA国际影视传媒榃e deserve the same treatmentSA国际影视传媒�

Quentin Norberg, who organized a July 24 protest outside the Kugluktuk detachment that attracted approximately 25 people, said he left FridaySA国际影视传媒檚 public meeting with little confidence that much will change.

SA国际影视传媒�(It) still didnSA国际影视传媒檛 answer my questions. Why arenSA国际影视传媒檛 our calls being answered? Why are we still being ignored? Even if they do take our calls, why does it take them so long to respond?SA国际影视传媒� Norberg asked.

He said he felt the SA国际影视传媒檚 top brass werenSA国际影视传媒檛 organized at the meeting and didnSA国际影视传媒檛 come with solutions in mind.

He suggested the should hire a local person or two to work in a dispatch role rather than having calls relayed to Iqaluit.

Norberg, who served as a bylaw officer in the past, said he has respect for officers when they are genuinely trying to assist the community, but he said that respect has been eroded recently. He recounted a break-in at a relativeSA国际影视传媒檚 place and said he never heard of any results from reporting it to police. Norberg and some family members asked around town and were provided with names of suspects, which they forwarded to the .

SA国际影视传媒淣othing happened,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut as soon as a white manSA国际影视传媒檚 house got broken intoSA国际影视传媒� boom, a full-force investigation. Four () members investigating a white manSA国际影视传媒檚 home that just got broken into. Why canSA国际影视传媒檛 we Inuit get the same response, same treatment? WeSA国际影视传媒檙e all the same. We deserve the same treatment.SA国际影视传媒�

McMenemy said sheSA国际影视传媒�s determined to see Kugluktuk once again return to the place she knows it can be, but she said everyone has to work together toward that goal.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e the most friendliest, loveliest town that you could live in in Nunavut,SA国际影视传媒� she said.