A retired officer is calling for an investigation into the behaviour of North Star Security guards at Centre Square Mall after witnessing what he called "extreme aggression" toward an indigenous man and woman by two guards.

Bradley Enge said he was walking toward the Northern Heights apartment building on 49 Street on the afternoon of March 22 when two security guards stormed out of the mall doors toward an indigenous man and woman on the sidewalk.

Enge said the pair was sitting in an alcove by the former Payday Loans office.

When he turned around to see what was going on, one of the security guards was pouring out the contents of what appeared to be a Private Stock wine bottle onto the street, he said.

While Enge didnSA国际影视传媒檛 see the bottle in the man or womanSA国际影视传媒檚 hands when he first walked by, he believes it was theirs and suggested it could have been concealed under their clothing.

The second security guard then told the man and woman to leave the area, pointing them in the direction of the Quality Inn and Franklin Avenue, Enge said.

SA国际影视传媒淭heir body language and demeanour was extremely aggressive and intimidating,SA国际影视传媒� Enge said of the two security guards. SA国际影视传媒淚 asked the security officers where they got the authority to enforce the Liquor Act, public consumption or possession of open liquor in a public place.SA国际影视传媒�

According to Enge, the security guards told him they had the authority because the man and woman were on private property.

SA国际影视传媒淭he two aboriginal people were in a public place,SA国际影视传媒� Enge said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey were on a public sidewalk.SA国际影视传媒�

Enge has since contacted , providing a statement about the events which he shared with Yellowknifer.

HeSA国际影视传媒檚 concerned about the SA国际影视传媒渁buse of authoritySA国际影视传媒� at the mall and whether Yellowknife are SA国际影视传媒渟upporting, encouraging, turning a blind eye to or tolerating this flaunting of unlawful conduct,SA国际影视传媒� his statement says.

According to Insp. Matt Peggs, G Division is investigating the issue.

SA国际影视传媒淢all security is responsible for securing the mall but theySA国际影视传媒檙e not peace officers,SA国际影视传媒� Peggs said when asked whether security guards at the mall have the authority to confiscate and dispose of liquor on a sidewalk or in the mall. SA国际影视传媒淭hey donSA国际影视传媒檛 have authorities under the Northwest Territories Liquor Act. Only peace officers do.SA国际影视传媒�

Peggs wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 say whether has received similar complaints about mall security.

Yellowknifer reached out to North Star Security requesting an interview but was provided an e-mail statement signed SA国际影视传媒渕anagementSA国际影视传媒� instead.

SA国际影视传媒淣orth Star has been in consultation with the on this topic and will continue to work closely with the to mitigate issues around the mall to create a safe environment for Yellowknife residents,SA国际影视传媒� it said. SA国际影视传媒淭he mall has a zero tolerance policy regarding alcohol and drug use on its property and they were asked to vacate. The mall is at a tough location on the corner between the day shelter and liquor store.SA国际影视传媒�

Enge said he is also concerned by what he believes was a retractable baton on the belt of one of the security officers on March 22, as he does not believe there are laws in the NWT allowing security guards to carry them.

Yellowknifer saw a picture of the alleged baton, taken by Enge, but cannot verify the object.

Yellowknifer asked Peggs whether mall security guards are allowed to carry such batons but he would not say and said it is in the criminal code.

The criminal code shows batons called Kiyoga Batons or Steel Cobras, SA国际影视传媒渁nd any similar device consisting of a manually triggered telescoping spring-loaded steel whipSA国际影视传媒� are prohibited weapons. It also states carriers of legally-sanctioned batons need to be either licensed or supervised by someone with a licence.

North Star said SA国际影视传媒渢here is no regulations in the NWT governing personal protection equipment for guards even when they have the appropriate security training.SA国际影视传媒�

This isnSA国际影视传媒檛 the first incident to happen at Centre Square Mall.

Last week, Yellowknifer reported on a fight that broke out between a pregnant woman and the mother of a security guard after the woman asked to use the mallSA国际影视传媒檚 bathroom.

The incident came just before North Star took over security in both the upper and lower parts of the mall.

Enge said he has heard complaints from other Northern Heights residents about security guards allegedly tackling people to the ground and dragging them out of the mall.

Lydia Bardak, a well-known social justice advocate, said she has stopped walking through the mall this week because sheSA国际影视传媒檚 received an overwhelming amount of complaints of abuse there.

She said security issues need to dealt with more humanely.

SA国际影视传媒淚 worry that when we use a very heavy-handed approach, people will resist that and you could end up in a scuffle thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to get somebody hurt,SA国际影视传媒� Bardak said.

She suggested security staff could use better training with how to de-escalate situations and co-operate with people who are asked to leave the mall, or that a mental health worker or washroom attendant could be hired for the mall.

Enge said he is still waiting to hear back from about what is being done about the issue.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 still worried, because there seems to be a trend developing here,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no proactive monitoring about the excessiveness of the use of force I see taking place in the Centre Square Mall area with people who frequent that mall, a certain class of people.SA国际影视传媒�

While he said he realizes it is private property, he wants to see modifications to how the mall is managed.

SA国际影视传媒淎t the end of the day, the laws need to be enforced,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淥versight needs to be implemented.SA国际影视传媒�