Current and former top brass with the P.A. Police Service photographed this week in Calgary for the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police annual conference. From left, Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper,  Jon Bergen, Jason Stonechild and Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee (Facebook/PA Police Service)

By Glenn Hicks

The Future Of Policing

P.A.Police Chief reflects on national gathering

Aug 14, 2019 | 5:00 PM

A senior Prince Albert officer is now part of a key Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) committee.

Deputy Chief Jason Stonechild has joined the Policing With Indigenous People Committee. It has a mandate to work towards enhanced public safety for Indigenous peoples, and among its initial objectives was to support the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Inquiry.

Speaking from this week’s annual CACP conference in Calgary, P.A. Police Chief Jon Bergen said Stonechild would lend weight to the group and to the calls to action following the release of the final report into the MMIWG National Inquiry.

“The committee is something that really resonates with us …and Deputy Chief Stonechild not only brings his personal experience as an Indigenous officer but also his professional experience working in a community that has a large Indigenous population,” Bergen said.

Speaking to how police forces across the country would be addressing recommendations from the MMIWG inquiry report, Bergen said “we bring a unique perspective too.”

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Sexual harassment in the workplace

The four-day conference in Calgary kicked off earlier in the week with the police chief in the host city speaking to the controversy that had embroiled his department in recent years following claims of sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace. However, Bergen said he was not aware of any such issues in Prince Albert.

“That’s not something that has been brought to my attention specifically, but it is absolutely my goal to create and support a workplace that is free from any discrimination or harassment,” he said.

Bergen admitted when it came to gender diversity in his department there was “definitely room for improvement.”

“Our model is based on diversity and when we look at our Indigenous people in our organization we’re around 30 per cent, but when you look at gender diversity we’re much lower than that,” he said. “We have about ten full-time female officers but we are well reflected with [female] community safety officers and in our bylaw section with women there.” Bergen added one of their latest two recruits currently in training is a woman.

Saying goodbye to 911 as we know it

Among the items on the agenda in Calgary was the countdown to a complete change in the 9-1-1 system across the nation. As of 2023, the analogue-based system will be replaced by what’s known as NextGen 9-1-1 networks and will be internet-based, which will result in greater efficiencies and enable a variety of information to be shared. But that will require technical and policy changes along with significant capital investment.

Bergen said the P.A. Police service would be ready for the transition and had been preparing over the last several months already for when the existing 9-1-1 lines are shut off.

“I have complete confidence in the [new] infrastructure and I have complete confidence in the people who will continue to deliver the professional service they always have,” he said.

PA Chief Jon Bergen said Stonechild, as an Indigenous officer working in a large Indigenous population city brings a vital perspective.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow