Members of Siksika Nation’s Police Commission officially announced and sworn in
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A ceremony at Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, June 25, saw the members of Siksika Nation’s Police Commission officially announced and sworn in.
According to a release, the swearing in ceremony marked the induction of Siksika Nation’s Public Safety Task Team, who are assuming a pivotal role in upholding the principles of law enforcement, assurance of public safety, and fostering of positive community relations for Siksika Nation.
“This initiative actually has been existing for quite some time. In early 2022, we had past politicians who we were working with towards the safety of the members of Siksika Nation and it entailed things that needed to be worked on,” said Lou Ann Solway, who was among those who were sworn in. “We once had our police force at one point in time, and so we wanted to go back and renew that … and bring everybody back to the table and just start implementing these safety models that we traditionally had and what the country has to implement safety for members of Siksika Nation.”
Those who were sworn in include Solway, as well as Samuel Crowfoot, Reuben Breaker, Marsha Wolf Collar, and Ike Solway.
Solway added that Siksika Nation is over an hour’s drive east of Calgary and is the second largest First Nations territory in Canada. The previous agreement with the RCMP to have four officers patrolling the entire area was not enough to implement an effective safety model across the entire region.
“Especially with the growing (amount) of negative things that come into any community – the gangs, the drugs, and the negative choices that escalate … that potentially gets people hurt if it is not paid attention to and the community is not addressing the safety model,” said Solway. “With this process, we were able to provide a good statement to Canada and the province that we are in high demand of this, having our own self-administered policing, and not just on that … we also met closely with our own traditional ways with how we used to implement safety within our community.”
Solway estimated having both a self-implemented police service and commission will create a large positive impact for the local community, as it will build and foster better relationships with those who reside within Siksika Nation.
She added the Nation is very impatient to see the commission and the local policing services launch, and to see awareness increase that violators of the law will not be tolerated within Siksika Nation.
The provincial and federal governments will continue to be engaged with the Siksika Nation Police Commission as it establishes itself. The headquarters will be located on the east side of the nation.