NWT top brass say recruiting more Indigenous officers onto the force remains a top priority.

SA国际影视传媒淭his year, each detachment is working actively towards reconciliation,SA国际影视传媒� said Chief Supt. Jamie Zettler, presenting to the Standing Committee on Social Development at the legislative assembly on Tuesday.

As part of the forceSA国际影视传媒檚 commitment to working towards reconciliation, Zettler told MLAs the G Division - the branch responsible for serving the territory and its 33 communities - is continuing its efforts to bring more Indigenous officers into the SA国际影视传媒檚 ranks through a number of recruitment programs and initiatives.

In 2011, The Community Constable program was launched in the territory in a bid to SA国际影视传媒渁ddress the gaps in policing services.SA国际影视传媒� The pilot, initiated in certain jurisdictions in Canada in 2011, was created in an effort to SA国际影视传媒渆nhance community engagement and community policing,SA国际影视传媒� by placing Indigenous members in communities where they have a local knowledge of its culture, language and geography, according to the SA国际影视传媒檚 national website.

At the rank of Special Constable Member, Community Constables are armed and uniformed peace officers. In 2016, there were 20 Community Constables stationed across Canada.

Of the 260 regular and civilian members and public servants employed by the G Division, Zettler said there are four Indigenous Community Constables stationed in Behchoko, Fort Simpson, Inuvik and Fort Good Hope.

Zettler said he would SA国际影视传媒渓ove to seeSA国际影视传媒� more Indigenous constables become regular members within the , noting that one special community constable recently became a regular Mountie member.

SA国际影视传媒淎s for recruitment, we have many programs out there right now, to bring more people from Indigenous communities and groups into the across the country as well as in the NWT,SA国际影视传媒� said Zettler.SA国际影视传媒�

Three Indigenous recruits from NWT went to Depot, the MountiesSA国际影视传媒� training academy located in Saskatchewan, this fiscal year alone, added Zettler.

Daniel McNeely, MLA for Sahtu, commended the continued practice of positioning Indigenous communities.

SA国际影视传媒淣ow that youSA国际影视传媒檙e actually having Indigenous on your workforce ... I encourage you to continue to minimize crime through prevention, consultation and education,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat builds trust,SA国际影视传媒� added McNeely.

But increased Indigenous representation within the force wonSA国际影视传媒檛 happen overnight. Currently, there are no Indigenous officers holding high ranking positions in G Division. Plus, Zettler said recruitment, in general, and the retaining of members is challenge for the Division currently.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a process,SA国际影视传媒� Zettler told reporters following the public meeting.

SA国际影视传媒淲e want people to apply. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e open for business. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e taking steps to streamline (the process of recruiting and employee Indigenous applications),SA国际影视传媒� said Zettler.

In 2017, NWT G Division received just over 36,000 calls for service, amounting to 18,000 criminal code violations.