'Was it worth it': Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service program targets alcohol abuse, violence

A new awareness campaign from the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS) aims to make people think about the consequences of drinking too much.

The "Was It Worth It" campaign launched Wednesday at NAPS headquarters in Thunder Bay. The police service operates in 34 of the 49 First Nation communities in the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation in northern Ontario. 

The new operational, and educational program includes videos and posters which shine a light on what can potentially happen as a result of alcohol abuse. For example, several of the videos focus on domestic violence and sexual assault.

"Any police services will see ... a number of alcohol-related calls," said NAPS Chief Terry Armstrong, adding that "quite often," violence-related calls can be linked to alcohol.

"I think they did a really good job on (the campaign materials)," he said. "Some might argue that they're a little too powerful, but they send a message. And I think that messaging has to get out there."

The campaign is also about reaching out to people through a new website, www.wasitworthit.ca, which includes information and links to sites offering support for alcohol addition and mental illness.

The campaign will also make use of an upcoming smartphone app that offers lists of alcohol-free activities, based on the individual's location.

"Depending on where you go on from, it'll tell you other, alternative things you can do in your area," Armstrong said. "There's always something else to do."

The app is expected to be released in a few weeks.

Part of Project Nexus

The Was It Worth It campaign is part of Project Nexus, a $100,000 initiative paid for through the provincial Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services' proceeds of crime fund.

"Money that's seized from drug operations, from drug dealers, from houses that are seized and sold, all that money goes into a provincial coffer," Armstrong said. "They open it up to grants every spring."

"It's a good way of putting it back into the problems that we're facing with drugs and alcohol."

Project Nexus rolled out in two parts. First came the operational phase, which concluded in March and saw a number of seizures of drugs and alcohol that people were attempting to send via Canada Post.

"We suspected that there was alcohol and drugs being transferred through the mail system," Armstrong said. "It's against the law to mail obviously drugs, but alcohol as well."

The Was It Worth It campaign, Armstrong said, is the educational phase of Project Nexus.