The Prince Albert Police Service has been working for over three months now to rid the force of intense criticism that has shadowed the organization for the last few years.
“In three months, although that is a relatively short period of time, there is a very good foundation to work from at the Prince Albert Police Service,” said interim police chief Patrick Nogier.
“We are going to prove to people what we mean to the community.
“Upon arriving here, there was very much an appetite to engage. There was a lot of willingness to sit down and discuss topics. There wasn’t always going to be topics of agreement but the fact that they were willing to come to the table and have discussions about progression was encouraging and those continue today.”
The service has faced criticism and scrutiny from the public and other organizations over the past few years.
Former chief Jonathan Bergen’s retirement came the same day as the release of a report that found two officers neglected their duty in the hours before a toddler was killed.
A Public Complaints Commission report found the officers, responding to a domestic violence call, didn’t check on the well-being of 13-month-old Tanner Brass and left him “vulnerable and in danger.”
The boy’s father, Kaij Brass, has been charged with second-degree murder and his trial is scheduled for next year.
Bergen claimed he and his family had been facing harassment from the public and his own officers since.
Earlier this year, a 21-year member of the force was charged with criminal negligence and failing to provide the necessaries of life after an investigation into the in-custody death of 33-year-old Saul Laliberte.
Laliberte’s death was the third to take place in police custody over a few weeks in 2021.
President of the Prince Albert Police Association Nolan Carter said it will take time to repair the force because the wounds within the organization are so deep.
“Chief Nogier wants to make changes and wants to have members enjoy coming to work, the problem is that the wounds caused by the previous Chief are very deep,” Carter said in an email statement to Global News.
“Lack of communication from the province has cast a shadow of confusion about the direction of the service. An inquiry was completed, the results were released, but the story of how we got to those results remains hidden. We need transparency and accountability and this needs to come from the province.”
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, called for accountability and better oversight of the force.
The Saskatchewan government appointed former Edmonton police chief Rod Knecht to conduct an independent review of Prince Albert police amid concerns over operations and criticism from Indigenous leaders.
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His full report has not been made public, but the province released its 45 recommendations, which included a comprehensive policy review. It also recommended the force develop a code of conduct when it comes to disciplining officers.
The report’s recommendations noted a “number of serious issues within the (Prince Albert police) regarding discipline, grievances, relationships with senior management, the (Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners), and overall organizational impairment.”
Nogier said that policing is not easy these days.
“It’s changed dramatically. When you come to the level of violence on the street, when you come with individuals with a total disregard for public authority, not stopping for police, pursuits, all those sorts of things become and make the environment very risky.”
Despite the challenges, he said the force is committed to evaluating and responding to the recommendations.
Upon his arrival, he made sure the force’s harassment policy was reviewed and that it aligned with industry standards and provincial legislation.
“A successful organization is one that fosters an environment that individuals want to come to work, that they are provided with the tools that allow them to do the work, that you are supportive in a number of different ways, you support them when times are tough and provide them with guidance.”
Nogier said that so far, one of the most significant changes to the force has been improvements to their Alternative Call Response program.
“The amount of files and calls that had been accustomed to the community in response to having a police officer show up at a call — we knew that it wasn’t sustainable.”
Nogier said that in a community like Prince Albert, the right response must be provided at the right time.
“The community arguably expects that when they have something that happens with respect to criminal activity, that it affects them, and they want a police response. They want to talk to a police officer.”
The force has been trying to make the community aware that other resources are available through the Alternative Call Response such as online reporting.
“We want to make sure people feel like they are heard.”
Other things the force is doing is looking at the way the cell blocks are handled, including making sure they have proper supervision and increasing the number of officers on the streets at any given time.
The force is also looking to strengthen relationships external relationships through changes to their collective bargaining agreement and build trust through collaboration.
“It’s almost like a tri-party relationship where you have the Board of Police Commissioners, the executive police and the association for the police service now working in unison to try to identify what needs to be done moving forward,” Nogier explained.
He noted that Prince Albert officers are facing unique challenges that larger teams in other provinces or cities might not be dealing with.
“A lot of our front line officers are carrying a file load that would be considered to be extensive in other jurisdictions — complex in other jurisdictions — and when you look at the tenure of officers that are here, you are looking at officers that are still learning to become very confident police officers.”
He said some officers are still learning how to complete thorough investigations, accurately write warrants, and looking at information to obtain.
“It speaks well for the future,” Nogier said. “What they are experiencing very early in their career, they are going to become very good at what they do.”
The Prince Albert Police Association said that the force needs to be looking ahead and recommended that a posting for a new chief be made public immediately, noting Nogier’s interim status.
“The previous Chief caused so much damage that it will take time to repair and with Chief Nogier only having six months to accomplish this, it is not reasonable,” Carter claimed. “For stability to start, the Prince Albert Police Association would like to see a posting for the Chief to go up. This still has not been done so what happens after Chief Nogier’s term is complete?”
Nogier’s contract has him in the role of interim chief until Nov. 30.
It’s still unclear what will happen when his contract ends.
Like Nogier, Carter also pointed out that the force is running understaffed, calling for more officers in front line patrol, whether that be through hiring or reworking special units.
“That is tough as some positions are funded externally but we need to start thinking outside the box and we need the support of those external agencies to make these moves happen,” Carter said.
He said the province hasn’t stepped in to help since the cabinet shuffle.
“Minister Tell is no longer there — her replacement Minister Merriman will hopefully keep his foot on the pedal to assist but there has been no contact as of yet.”
When contacted by Global News, the Ministry insisted they were working with the group.
“The Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety is working with the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners, the interim chief, and the Prince Albert Police Association to ensure the people of Prince Albert can be confident in their police service,” read a statement from the Ministry.
“Maintaining public confidence and trust in policing is integral as the Prince Albert Police Service moves forward with implementing the recommendations and works to ensure an effective level of policing in the community. Minister Merriman looks forward to working with the Saskatchewan Police Commission to ensure the safety and security of all Saskatchewan residents.”
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