By Derek Cornet

La Ronge chosen as RCMP pilot project site to reduce gang activity

Dec 20, 2018 | 1:00 PM

The Saskatchewan RCMP have initiated a pilot project in La Ronge called End Gang Life, which will be expanded provincially if proven effective.

That’s according to community program officer, Alex Turcotte, who said she spent part of November and December assisting ‘F’ Division in Regina with the prevention and education components of the strategy. She noted End Gang Life was found to be successful in British Columbia, adding the project is expected to begin in the tri-communities some time in January and will target young people between Grades 5-8.

“A lot of kids are recruited into gangs before age 12,” Turcotte said. “They tend to feel unwanted by society, parents and peers. Often they are recruited so gradually they don’t even know they are being recruited.”

The first component of the plan will be a series of educational modules, which are expected to be delivered at schools in the detachment’s jurisdictional coverage. Turcotte stated the modules can either be presented twice per week for three weeks or on multiple dates in a six-week span. With the educational component being rather short, she believes it will make it easier for schools if they have to implement the project themselves.

Considering there is a high Indigenous population in the tri-communities, Turcotte mentioned Indigenous content is also included in End Gang Life. She said its important Indigenous people know it’s possible to escape gang life by relating back to their culture.

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“Although we may have some gang members who are Indigenous, they have gotten out of the gangs and they have stories to tell and they are very relatable to youth,” Turcotte said. “They have been addressing their addictions and have been getting their lives back on track.”

End Gang Life will also eventually include a toll free number, which will be monitored by a crime reduction team. Turcotte noted the number should be used to seek help for those already in a gang or for people who have expressed ideation about joining one. By using available resources such as Hub, she hopes at-risk individuals are able to find the assistance they need before going down a wrong path.

La Ronge RCMP Staff Sgt. Kyle Watson has been supportive of the project and believes there will be some successes resulting from it. Currently the detachment is in talks with local schools to sign up, he said, and the project should also meet some of the demands from local community stakeholders.

“The work Alex has put in here was noticed by the division, and not only was it noticed by division, we’re the forerunners of it,” Watson said.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno