- IODE RCMP Community Service Award Recipient for 2022
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IODE Canada, on behalf of its members, established an award to recognize a member, unit or detachment of the RCMP for exemplary public service to their community outside of their official duties. Each year, the office of the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police chooses the recipient. This award has been presented since 1992. |
Corporal Holly Porterfield
Constable Stephanie Corbett
Constable Colin Efford
PSE Analyst Leala Mitchell
Maskwacis Community Policing Team, K Division, Maskwacis, Alberta
Constable Stephanie Corbett
Constable Colin Efford
PSE Analyst Leala Mitchell
Maskwacis Community Policing Team, K Division, Maskwacis, Alberta
The Maskwacis Community Policing Unit (CPS) is a team which has demonstrated exemplary public service to their community, both on and off duty. The unit members are assigned to enhanced positions under the Community Tripartite Agreement and have the mandate to provide a visible, positive, policing presence within the four Cree Nations that form Maskwacis.
During the last year, the team has faced significant pressures and demands as they strive to operate during the pandemic as well as dealing with reconciliation challenges and personally addressing the calls for action under the Missing, Murdered, Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry. The team contributes to their community through numerous community groups, initiatives and involvements outside of their regular duties. The nomination is for the team as a whole, as their results are achieved as a whole.
The nomination submission provided extensive examples of the team’s impressive accomplishments which can only be summarized here.
The Red Dress initiative is growing across the country. It recognizes and honours indigenous women and girls who were victims of homicide or who went missing and were never recovered. CPS members obtained and hung several red dresses on the willow tree in front of the detachment and worked with others to assist with the preparation of gifts for a drive-through awareness event. They organized other drive-through events as well, in lieu of in-person events due to pandemic restrictions. They partnered with other agencies to hand out carnations to mothers on Mother’s Day and “Dad’s” cookies to fathers on Father’s Day. CPS members created a “Safe Exchange Zone” where Nation members can meet to complete on-line purchase or child custody exchanges. On Canada Day they took part in “Convoy 2021” where the remains of hundreds of residential school victims were honoured by an organized convoy with a community healing event at the end. When local youth created an impromptu “walk to remember residential school victims”, CPS members dropped what they were doing and jumped in to help, ensuring safety and provided water and transportation to the elders. Other walks included the FASD walk; marched in the Ermineskin Pride Parade; led the drummers for the Ermineskin Truth and Reconciliation Walk and joined a special 18 km walk to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women – one member did so in full red serge. They did their best to don makeup and blend in with the zombie crowd for a Halloween Zombie Walk. They teamed with others to bring Christmas cheer to all four communities by escorting Santa Claus to visit the children and adults. CPS protected volunteers providing a community fundraising Check Stop. Team members constantly adjust their shifts, stay late and do what is needed to provide meaningful engagement with their communities.
CPS members take part in many events designed to create healing and reconciliation throughout the community: led the Montana Healing Walk and served lunch to community Elders at the conclusion; created a Land Acknowledgement ceremony, where, for the first time, the detachment acknowledged and recognized the treaty lands on which the detachment resides; to encourage youth involvement, an “orange shirt” beading activity was created and sourced, with team members learning to bead as well and shared personal stories with the youth; members attended youth summer camps and played sports with youth; took the lead role in the recruitment of indigenous youth into policing; helped to host Camp Soaring Eagles; members belong to and report to several local community groups, providing members with statistics about their communities and lead talks and presentations on domestic violence, drug and substance abuse and gang trends.
In a small community rife with strife, CPS partnered with VSU (Victim Services Unit) to organize a community clean-up and BBQ to help bring the community together. The event was well received with 75 nation members attending. Calls for service dropped significantly.
Many efforts focus on reconciliation. CPS members spent a weekend at a traditional Sun Dance in Louis Bull Tribe. They helped build the lodge and took part in prayers and ceremonies. Several members were honoured with receiving traditional Cree names from Elders. When CPS members heard of a “Treaty 6 Celebration” in an outside detachment, they jumped in to help.
To promote safety, team members are constantly involved in meetings and presentations. They lead “HUB” meetings in all four nations. HUB is a community project that brings together key support agencies to address on-going problems; the models in Maskwacis are incredibly successful, leading to greater trust in the community and reduced calls for service. CPS members are heavily involved with Violent Threat Risk Assessment where high risk situations are addressed, resolved and youth are supported. CPS created a new approach to Restorative Justice aimed at resolving criminal offences without going through the traditional court process. While working with Nation Leaders and Provincial Crown Prosecutors, the CPS team identifies and refers criminal allegations to Nation Committees and remains committed to them as the process unfolds. To date, 12 proactive referrals to Restorative Justice have been made.
The nominator for this award states that the Maskwacis Community Policing team is the busiest and most proactive team of its kind in K Division. It is truly reflective of the RCMP’s strategic priorities to support reconciliation and making a meaningful difference in the community.
This team continues to demonstrate an on-going commitment to excellence in their community service and within the RCMP and significantly contributes to the quality of life for all. The members of IODE Canada, assembled for their 122nd Annual Meeting, are honoured to present the 2022 National Chapter of Canada IODE RCMP Community Service Award to the Maskwacis Community Policing Team
During the last year, the team has faced significant pressures and demands as they strive to operate during the pandemic as well as dealing with reconciliation challenges and personally addressing the calls for action under the Missing, Murdered, Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry. The team contributes to their community through numerous community groups, initiatives and involvements outside of their regular duties. The nomination is for the team as a whole, as their results are achieved as a whole.
The nomination submission provided extensive examples of the team’s impressive accomplishments which can only be summarized here.
The Red Dress initiative is growing across the country. It recognizes and honours indigenous women and girls who were victims of homicide or who went missing and were never recovered. CPS members obtained and hung several red dresses on the willow tree in front of the detachment and worked with others to assist with the preparation of gifts for a drive-through awareness event. They organized other drive-through events as well, in lieu of in-person events due to pandemic restrictions. They partnered with other agencies to hand out carnations to mothers on Mother’s Day and “Dad’s” cookies to fathers on Father’s Day. CPS members created a “Safe Exchange Zone” where Nation members can meet to complete on-line purchase or child custody exchanges. On Canada Day they took part in “Convoy 2021” where the remains of hundreds of residential school victims were honoured by an organized convoy with a community healing event at the end. When local youth created an impromptu “walk to remember residential school victims”, CPS members dropped what they were doing and jumped in to help, ensuring safety and provided water and transportation to the elders. Other walks included the FASD walk; marched in the Ermineskin Pride Parade; led the drummers for the Ermineskin Truth and Reconciliation Walk and joined a special 18 km walk to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women – one member did so in full red serge. They did their best to don makeup and blend in with the zombie crowd for a Halloween Zombie Walk. They teamed with others to bring Christmas cheer to all four communities by escorting Santa Claus to visit the children and adults. CPS protected volunteers providing a community fundraising Check Stop. Team members constantly adjust their shifts, stay late and do what is needed to provide meaningful engagement with their communities.
CPS members take part in many events designed to create healing and reconciliation throughout the community: led the Montana Healing Walk and served lunch to community Elders at the conclusion; created a Land Acknowledgement ceremony, where, for the first time, the detachment acknowledged and recognized the treaty lands on which the detachment resides; to encourage youth involvement, an “orange shirt” beading activity was created and sourced, with team members learning to bead as well and shared personal stories with the youth; members attended youth summer camps and played sports with youth; took the lead role in the recruitment of indigenous youth into policing; helped to host Camp Soaring Eagles; members belong to and report to several local community groups, providing members with statistics about their communities and lead talks and presentations on domestic violence, drug and substance abuse and gang trends.
In a small community rife with strife, CPS partnered with VSU (Victim Services Unit) to organize a community clean-up and BBQ to help bring the community together. The event was well received with 75 nation members attending. Calls for service dropped significantly.
Many efforts focus on reconciliation. CPS members spent a weekend at a traditional Sun Dance in Louis Bull Tribe. They helped build the lodge and took part in prayers and ceremonies. Several members were honoured with receiving traditional Cree names from Elders. When CPS members heard of a “Treaty 6 Celebration” in an outside detachment, they jumped in to help.
To promote safety, team members are constantly involved in meetings and presentations. They lead “HUB” meetings in all four nations. HUB is a community project that brings together key support agencies to address on-going problems; the models in Maskwacis are incredibly successful, leading to greater trust in the community and reduced calls for service. CPS members are heavily involved with Violent Threat Risk Assessment where high risk situations are addressed, resolved and youth are supported. CPS created a new approach to Restorative Justice aimed at resolving criminal offences without going through the traditional court process. While working with Nation Leaders and Provincial Crown Prosecutors, the CPS team identifies and refers criminal allegations to Nation Committees and remains committed to them as the process unfolds. To date, 12 proactive referrals to Restorative Justice have been made.
The nominator for this award states that the Maskwacis Community Policing team is the busiest and most proactive team of its kind in K Division. It is truly reflective of the RCMP’s strategic priorities to support reconciliation and making a meaningful difference in the community.
This team continues to demonstrate an on-going commitment to excellence in their community service and within the RCMP and significantly contributes to the quality of life for all. The members of IODE Canada, assembled for their 122nd Annual Meeting, are honoured to present the 2022 National Chapter of Canada IODE RCMP Community Service Award to the Maskwacis Community Policing Team
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Pictured in this "First Day of School" photo is Constable Colin Efford Corporal Holly Porterfield Constable Stephanie Corbett Missing PSE Analyst Leala Mitchell |
