Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Belleville Intelligencer
Editorial - When it comes to policing, the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte band council seems to have it right.
Currently, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory has its own police force, an organization of eight officers who, by many accounts, have the trust of their community. Where other officers would have to step in and use force, the Tyendinaga officers seem to calm tensions in their own community with a sensible word. This was evident earlier this year, when Mohawk protesters took over a privatelyowned Deseronto quarry and demanded its licence be revoked. The officers didn't do a whole lot to stop it neither, mind you, do most forces in these situations but they did avoid having it turn ugly.
The Tyendinaga force is administered by the Ontario Provincial Police. They hire and train the officers, and as was evident earlier this year with the suspension of Chief Larry Hay, also discipline them.
Having the OPP as a local police force has its merits. But as the provincial enforcement agency, they inevitably become the whipping boy for any discontent, particularly with native issues. On one hand, hanging over them is Ipperwash, which saw the shooting death of aboriginal protester Dudley George.
On the other, there is the fiery and litigious criticism they have received from non-natives for perceived inaction in the Caledonia occupation. In these situations, no one is thanking them.
But, there are good reasons for having them around and for having an OPP-administered force such as Tyendinaga's.
For one, with an OPP contract comes a wealth of resources needed to meet provincial policing standards. The OPP has dedicated divisions and officers trained in emergency response, canine, water patrol, search and rescue, drug investigation and enforcement, gambling, child pornography, to name a few.
Being the biggest force has its advantages, and those advantages include connections, economies of scale and the ability to rally officers for a major crisis. The OPP also has made efforts to include officers from various cultural backgrounds in its ranks.
But discontentment on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory is starting to show. Earlier this month, an OPP officer was confronted by a group of Mohawks on Highway 49. Those who live on the reserve tell of breached boundaries and hostility. A home on York Road bears a large sign reading Mohawk Nation, OPP not welcome. Questions are raised when looking at the relationship between the OPP and the reserve, such as Hay's suspension. He was suspended for allegedly making comments about racism in the OPP and RCMP to a college newspaper.
As Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte spokesman Brant Bardy said, contention is deep and historic, and it's enough for the band to warrant looking at its contract with the OPP as the current term nears its end.
Last year, MBQ started a working group of community members, many with expertise in various areas, to gauge public opinion and look at options. Such a working group is needed to answer big questions. Perhaps the biggest is whether the reserve can afford its own independent force. Policing is a complex operation with astronomical costs, from the cruisers to the recruitment, training and hiring of officers. The group can also gauge if there really is a need for an alternative, and if the discontentment with the OPP is widespread enough to be urgent.
Tyendinaga's policing contract, signed in 1991 through the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians, expires in 2008. There are big questions to ask between now and then.
It is the sort of measured decision that should not be taken lightly, or based on rashness or emotion. With the history between Mohawks and the OPP, it would be easy to make it that way. It is good that they are not.