Police making progress on Indigenous recruitment: tribal council

Leaders with the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) say they feel efforts by the city police to recruit Indigenous people are working.

A report headed to the board of police commissioners on Thursday indicates the police service is making progress toward a workforce that represents the population. It says 312 of the 571 total sworn and out of scope police employees in 2017 — 54.6 per cent — identified as female, Indigenous, people with a disability or members of a visible minority.

In 2002, when the police force approved its initial employment equity plan, these groups made up 33.4 per cent of the service.

A breakdown of staff in the report says 189 women are employed by the police force. It says 64 members of the staff are Indigenous, 30 people have a disability and 29 identify as a visible minority.

Brian Shalovelo, acting deputy chief of support services for the police, said having a representative workforce ensures there’s an active and effective dialogue between police officers and the community.

“When someone looks like you, talks like you and maybe has some of the same life experiences that you have, I think what it does is it opens the door to communications, and I think that’s so important,” he said.

“It also allows us ... to utilize the skills, knowledge and ability of those that are applying to our organization to better deal with safety concerns in the community.”

He noted the police force still has work to do, since its numbers are still below goals outlined by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. Those goals indicate Indigenous people should make up 14 per cent, visible minorities 11 per cent, people with disabilities 12.4 per cent and women in non-traditional roles making up 46 per cent. The police force is currently at 9.8 per cent, 5.6 per cent, 5.1 per cent and 43.1 per cent respectively.

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said efforts like community outreach, cadet programs and the Cultural Resources Unit will help the service reach its goal for Indigenous employees.

“We’re supportive of the processes that are going on because we feel it’s making a difference in the City of Saskatoon and we want to continue building those relationships and working together to reach those goals,” he said.

Arcand said Indigenous people who find success in the police service can inspire younger members of the community.

“When we have First Nations people or Metis people working in uniform ... they become role models.”

Arcand noted police have been working closely with the STC.

“We are working together. We are making a difference. We are knocking down the barriers that existed before. It becomes a collective, not ‘us versus them’ or ‘them versus us.’ That mentality has to not exist anymore.”

Shalovelo called Arcand’s remarks “inspiring” and said the police force will continue to pursue applicants from these groups aggressively in partnership with community stakeholders.

“We’re opening doors, we’re not closing them,” he said.

Ali Abukar, executive director of the Saskatoon Open Door Society, said the police force regularly works with the organization to engage newcomers. He said police regularly attend the organization’s WeConnect Job Fair, which helps newcomers to Canada connect with local employers.

“Any time we get together, they talk about the need to reduce barriers for people with diverse backgrounds to join the police force,” he said.

“Sometimes, having the people who can qualify to take up those jobs is the challenge, but the willingness is there.”