Alberta Emergency Services Agencies Pushing for More Indigenous Recruits – Lethbridge | Globalnews.ca

Adding representation to those in defense and those in service.

The Blood Tribe Police Service is working with other emergency service agencies throughout the province, trying to add more indigenous recruits to its ranks.

“There is a shortage of Indigenous applicants and this leads to a shortage of Indigenous police officers,” said Blood Tribe Police Chief Bryce Iron Shirt.

Last week, local police hosted a recruitment drive on the Blood Tribe, in hopes of improving access for potential members.

Iron Shirt believes the early returns look promising.

“(This) is our first attempt to see if it might even be successful,” Iron Shirt said. “What we’ve seen is that there’s a lot of opportunity for us to start recruiting within the blood tribe as well.”

Other organizations also participated, including both Lethbridge and Calgary Police, as well as the RCMP.

As per LPS CST. Allister Koop, Trying to increase diversity on the strength of the city is not a new initiative.

“It’s been in our strategic plan for a long time,” Coup said.

“We want to reflect the community we serve and that is a part of that, so these efforts are fresh over the past year.”

Coupe says the service does not ask applicants or members about their ethnicity or gender.

“Whether they want to or not, they can self-identify, so we don’t have specific data on that,” Coupe said.

But he believes there are encouraging signs for the future.

“What I can say is that we have seen an increase in the variety – either recruitment or interest – in the Watch program and (community peace officer) programs and both of those programs are great feeders into policing. We will be looking to expand those feeds into policing over the next few years Looking forward to seeing.”

Iron Shirt believes that increased law enforcement could reduce the disproportionate number of Indigenous people behind bars.

“Policing should help more Indigenous peoples in that area, whether through crime prevention programs that are specific to Indigenous peoples or more engaged with Indigenous peoples,” Iron Shirt said.

Blood Tribe Police is currently working with Red Crow College on a program to help Indigenous members with the application process. It is expected to be ready by this fall.