Community lockdown and patrols to continue in Lower Post, B.C.

A new lockdown protocol in Lower Post, B.C., that's aimed at reducing violence and keeping drug dealers out of the community will continue, residents heard at a community meeting on Tuesday.

Since last week, the small northern B.C. community has had roaming officers patrolling from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., on the lookout for anyone who neither lives or works there. That measure came from the Daylu Dena Council, which announced only residents of Lower Post would be permitted in the community, and residents who host known drug dealers or violent individuals would risk losing their tenancy.

"Anyone that is not from the community, we are asking them to leave. And if they aren't, we contact the police. We did that once already," said Pamela Moon, a community member helping out with the nightly patrols.

"We want to keep the drug dealers out of the community because they have been causing havoc here in the last few weeks, pulling guns on people — that happened — going to other people's homes, causing disturbances."

Moon says they're on the lookout for people who should not be in the community and they're also watching what community members are doing.

"We're taking down reports about any vehicle moving within the community, and anybody partying — that's getting written down," Moon said. 

Moon says she's determined to keep fighting to keep her community safe. She says she recently lost her 21-year-old granddaughter to drugs.

"It's devastating," she said.

Moon says she's heard different reactions to the community lockdown and patrols.

"Some people are happy that we're doing this. They stop us, tell us we're doing a good job and that. And then we have others that are complaining to other community members who tell us what they say, like, 'why are they driving around my house so often?'" Moon said.

"We're keeping an eye on you because you are suspected of selling drugs in this community and we want you to know we're watching you. We drive right into their yard and we take down their licence plates and everything."

'People are being isolated'

Around 30 residents showed up to Tuesday's community meeting. Two RCMP officers from the nearby Watson Lake, Yukon, detachment also attended.

Some of the discussion focused on creating a long-term community policing program, and RCMP members also told the gathering they are working with support agencies in Yukon and B.C. to provide more resources to tackle the problems of addiction. 

Carla Kristin Boss lives in Lower Post and said she's generally happy with the community action. She cites the "numerous and countless heartaches that our people have been going through with this crisis."

But Boss is also worried that the efforts could do more harm than good, by pointing fingers and stigmatizing certain people.

"People are being isolated, and that's why people are not reaching out," she said.

"That causes people to potentially overdose, alone by themselves, for fear of, you know, being judged. And that's not a good thing."