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Overview of the First Nations Policing Policy

The First Nations Policing Policy (FNPP) was created in 1991 to make communities safer, increase responsibility and accountability and build new partnerships with First Nations. It provides Aboriginal people with:

• A strong voice in the administration of justice in their communities;
• Police services that respect their cultures and traditions;
• The same standards of police services as in other Canadian communities;
• Police services that are accountable to the communities they serve.

Aboriginal policing

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) works with Aboriginal communities, provincial/territorial governments and other law enforcement partners to implement the Policy.

There are now 319 Aboriginal communities in Canada with dedicated police services employing close to 1000 police officers, most of whom are of Aboriginal descent. There are single community services, such as at Six Nations where there is a population of 10,000. There are multi-community agreements, such as in Nishnawbe-Aski, which serves 44 communities. Some of the services are self-administered, while others are managed through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

In addition to PSEPC’s role in policy implementation, research and evaluation of Aboriginal police services, PSEPC provides funding for crime prevention initiatives and small property improvements for police services in Aboriginal communities.

Policing models

There are two policing models, or agreements, under the Policy:

Self-Administered Agreements

A Self-Administered Agreement is negotiated between Canada, the participating province or territory, and the First Nations community. In these arrangements, the First Nations community manages its own police service under provincial legislation. Independent police commissions provide oversight for these self-administered police services. Mainly Aboriginal officers staff these autonomous police services.

Community Tripartite Agreements (CTAs)

Three parties negotiate Community Tripartite Agreements:

• The federal government (represented by PSEPC);
• The province or territory in which the First Nations community is located (usually represented by the provincial or territorial Minister of Justice); and
• The governing body of the First Nations community (represented by the Band Council).

These Agreements provide a community-based contingent of officers from an existing police service, usually the RCMP. Efforts are made to staff these police services with Aboriginal officers.