File Hills police chief passes the torch, reflects on more than 40 years of police work

When Lennard Busch looks back on his 43 years of policing, the years he spent serving several Indigenous communities northeast of Regina is the highlight.

"It's taken a good portion of my life and impacted me, but I think the time has come and I'm ready for [retirement]," Busch, who recently retired as chief of the File Hills First Nations Police Service (FHFNPS), said in an interview on CBC's The Afternoon Edition Thursday.

Paul Avanthay, the FHFNPS's former operations officer, is taking over the role as chief of police.

The FHFNPS was formed in 2002, becoming Saskatchewan's first and only self-administered standalone Indigenous police service. It serves five First Nations communities located in Treaty 4 territory: Okanese, Peepeekisis, Carry the Kettle, Star Blanket and Little Black Bear.

The police service has six full-time constables, five special constables and three clerks, along with a staff sergeant, corporal and chief.

Busch said he's proud of the work they've done over the years.

"When people talk about us, either positively or negatively, they refer to us as 'our police service' or 'our police officers' — just the fact that they're using the our pronoun is a positive thing," he said. 

Originally from Misipawistik Cree Nation in northern Manitoba, new chief Avanthay joined the Canadian military before working as an RCMP officer in his home province for 25 years, serving the Ininew and Annishanabe communities in the north. He made the move to Saskatchewan and joined the FHFNPS about four years ago.

"I think it's a very positive thing, in terms of self-determination for Indigenous people," Avanthay said. "There's a little bit of pride in having the First Nations police officers in their community — and also police officers from their community."

The FHFNPS's board of police commissioners is made up entirely of people from First Nations the service works with, adding another layer of accountability, he noted. Avanthay said it makes the work he does more meaningful because it offers communities more say in how their policing is delivered.

"I think it gives us a good opportunity to know what the feelings are in the community, and whether there are any complaints or suggestions," he said.

Avanthay said he hopes in his new role to create a platform with the officers who are already serving to help recruit more young Indigenous people into policing.

"It's about building capacity so we have the ability to continue to deliver a quality of service," he said. 

The end goal, Avanthay said, is to one day see the FHFNPS expanded to serve more communities.