FSIN pushes for civilian oversight
Struggle began nearly two decades ago, when victims dumped by police in cold
Former FSIN Chief Lawrence Joseph remembers the extreme pressure in the room as he met with chiefs in Prince Albert on Feb. 19, 2000.
It was three days after the Starphoenix reported allegations that Saskatoon police officers had dumped an Indigenous man, Darrell Night, at the edge of the city on a frigid night, and emotions were running high. Joseph was vice-chief of the justice portfolio at the time. The chiefs turned to him for action.
“They said, ‘Vice-chief, you’ve got to do something,’” Joseph recalled. “And we did.”
The pressure from Indigenous leaders and the public that resulted from the Night case blew open a broader controversy about police conduct in Saskatchewan.
It eventually prompted an inquiry into the 1990 freezing death of 17-year-old Neil Stonechild.
Justice David Wright’s final inquiry report called the initial investigation into Stonechild’s death “superficial and totally inadequate.”
The ensuing years have brought an overhaul of how policing takes place in the province, but Indigenous leaders say one crucial component that was missing at the time — an independent body to investigate alleged police wrongdoing — still needs to be addressed.
“I think it goes without saying that the inquiry and the eight recommendations that were outlined in the report significantly changes the way municipal policing occurs here in Saskatchewan today,” Joseph said.
“But much work is required as we move forward.”
At the time, Joseph and the chiefs encountered resistance in trying to meet with Saskatoon’s police chief and provincial and federal officials.
Without an independent body to address the allegations, they created their own — the FSIN Special Investigations Unit, which took more than 2,500 calls in its first few months.
“We’re calling on the provincial government, like we did almost begging way back in 2000, to get things done with us, not for us,” Joseph said at a news conference on Wednesday.
He joined the current FSIN executive in FSIN’S boardroom as they renewed calls for the creation of a civilian oversight authority. Saskatchewan is the only province west of the Maritimes without one.
Both Saskatoon and Regina’s city police forces have indicated they are open to the possibility of additional oversight, but the province has yet to establish a timeline or commit to changes.
Vice-chief Dutch Lerat said he was encouraged by the announcement in July that the province is considering changes to the way police oversight is conducted. At that time, Justice Minister Don Morgan admitted the system of police investigating police is “certainly problematic.”
The Ministry of Justice reiterated a statement it made to The Starphoenix in September, saying it is reviewing police oversight but there is “no specific timeline in place for any changes.”
“Government has met with the FSIN on this recently, and looks forward to continuing this discussion with them as we move forward on this issue,” the statement read.
Regardless of the timeline, Lerat said he is “very confident” a new authority will be created.
The move would align with the Calls for Justice issued by the national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), which seek the creation of an Indigenous civilian police oversight authority, either as an independent body or a branch of an established one.
This would be a step before that, Cameron said. First comes getting behind the “blue veil” by creating a civilian authority in the first place. Indigenous representation would come later, once trust with the authority was established, he said.
Donald Worme, a prominent Cree lawyer who represented Stonechild’s family at the inquiry into his death, said the renewed call is “still bang-on.”
“I think it was an important recommendation that was made back when the report was released and there is clearly a need to follow up with that,” Worme said.
“I’ve said it before: nothing erodes public confidence greater than the police investigating themselves.”
The FSIN hopes to speak with the provincial cabinet by Christmas to advance work on the issue.
I’ve said it before: nothing erodes public confidence greater than the police investigating themselves.