Nunavik police chief cites ‘encouraging’ drop in many crimes
What is shaping up so far as a three-year low in many of Nunavik’s crime statistics “is encouraging, it is good news,” says police Chief Jean-Pierre Larose.
However, he added, “we still have a lot of work to do.”
At Kativik Regional Government’s council meeting this week, the Nunavik Police Service released its report on crime activity that has occurred since the last meeting in February.
Larose said that during all of 2022, there were four murders in Nunavik. And last year there were seven. So far this year, there haven’t been any.
“This is really good news,” he said of the lower number of incidents. “We will continue the hard work,” adding police will focus on measures combatting alcohol-related crimes and drug trafficking.
Deputy Chief Jean-François Morin reported that so far this year in Nunavik, there has been one attempted murder, in Inukjuak. Across the territory last year, there were three attempted murders, and five in 2022.
So far this year, across Nunavik, there were 17 stabbings, two cases of arson, and six charges of assault causing bodily harm.
He said police have made nine drug or alcohol seizures since January — one each in Kuujjuaraapik, Kangiqsualujjuaq and Kangiqsujuaq, three in Kuujjuaq, and three in Montreal, working with police in that city.
“We’re still working on alcohol and drugs,” said Morin, adding that work “is taking most of the time for the investigation unit.”
In total, 1,009 bottles of 375-ml of alcohol and 43 kilograms of illegal drugs including cannabis, crack cocaine, methamphetamines and LSD were seized.
Police estimate the total black market value for this contraband was $1.9 million.
Larose said the police service renewed the agreement with the Nunavik Housing Bureau that allows officers to use master keys to enter housing units when they have strong reasons to believe a serious crime is taking place inside, but he also wants “to improve transparency and accountability” regarding use of that agreement.
He said police have updated their policies, requiring officers to record every intervention involving the use of the master key or forced entry.
There is also an automatic notification system alert that informs the captain and deputy chiefs whenever a master key is used. Each incident is reviewed to ensure it complies with the service’s internal policies, procedures and relevant legislations.
The contract with the call centre was also extended for a second year, and is scheduled to expand to Akulivik, Ivujivik and Salluit this fall.
The call centre, based in Saint-Eustache, Que., receives calls and dispatches Nunavik police officers. It currently services Kuujjuaraapik, Umiujaq, Inukjuak and Puvirnituq.
In its first year of operation, it answered 8,502 calls from Nunavik.
Cedric Gallant, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News
