N.L. government commits to more cops for Happy Valley-Goose Bay
All 6 recommendations from a public safety review are being adopted
The Newfoundland and Labrador government has accepted all recommendations from a working group that examined how the province should address Labrador residents' safety concerns.
The Policing Transformation Working Group released its report in crime in Labrador's largest community on Friday. It's the result of weeks of consultations with Happy Valley-Goose Bay residents and stakeholders.
The report included six recommendations, and Minister of Justice and Public Safety Bernard Davis says he's accepted all of them.
"We're supporting all recommendations in this report. We're going to be moving as fast as we possibly can to ensure that they're up and operational," Davis told reporters Friday afternoon.
One of those commitments is to hire five additional front-line RCMP officers at the Happy Valley-Goose Bay detachment.
Davis said the struggle to keep up with policing staffing levels is a problem across the country, but the RCMP has been actively recruiting to address that shortage.
While there are vacancies across multiple sectors of the economy that are posing challenges to the province, he said the RCMP is "committed to filling those vacancies" in a timely manner.
"Part of the thing is, is making sure we have individuals that are from those communities being able to go and police in those communities," said Davis.
In the past, he said there was a policy where officers weren't stationed in their hometowns, but Davis said that policy has changed, which he says has boosted recruitment efforts.
6 recommendations
Besides hiring additional officers, the review recommended that government departments and the RCMP work together to improve the Mobile Crisis Response Team, which could include clarifying protocols and improving communications.
It also suggested the Justice Department should give funding to the town to develop a community safety plan on issues like crime prevention and fighting racism.
The working group also suggested that the RCMP detachment should be given priority on the plan to get body cameras on officers.
The group also wants to see the police "establish formalized communication protocols with key community partners," such as Indigenous cultural sensitivity training and orientation for officers.
Finally, the report states the Justice Department should help create a pilot project for a "situation table" that brings together front-line workers to help connect vulnerable people with services and support.
Public concerns over crime
In August, hundreds of people gathered in front of Happy Valley-Goose Bay's town hall to voice their frustrations over crime in their community and concerns the RCMP wasn't present. Not long after that protest, Davis's department asked the working group to conduct a public safety review in that area.
According to the working group's report, they held 38 meetings with 85 individuals and groups in order to get their opinions on public safety.
From these discussions, people said they felt the town wasn't safe due to an increased number of people living on trails and voiced concerns of public intoxication, "aggressive panhandling," thefts and break-ins.
"Several business owners expressed frustration with the police response in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and the limited consequences from the justice system," said the report.
They also noted people were concerned about racism as well as historic distrust in public systems. People also spoke to the working group about concerns with alcohol consumption and increased illegal drug use in Labrador and how it could be contributing to crime.
Embrace for hub
The working group also endorsed the Integrated Health, Housing and Supportive Services Hub, which will include emergency shelter beds, transitional housing as well as services like clinical and treatment services.
Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions John Abbott said the report enforces the hub's importance, adding the design is still being finalized.
"We will be able to go to tender in the spring and the price tag is going to be between $30 and $40 million," he said, which has been budgeted for.
Construction is set to begin in the fall of 2025, according to the report.
Lake Melville MHA Perry Trimper said residents have told him they want more support for people with addictions.
"Think of it as three horses that we've got going here," said Trimper.
"We've got policing, our low-barrier shelter with wraparound services and then finally, treatment and recovery. So all three of these thrusts are now moving."
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Jessica Singer