Band constable funding on the cutting block

Continuation of funding for band constables was on the agenda when provincial and territorial justice ministers met with the federal government in Banff in mid-October. Funding for the program expires March 31, 2015. Federal Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said the program fell short of its goals and money will be reallocated into the First Nations Policing Program. The 45-year-old program allows First Nations officers to help police their own communities and is particularly important for reserves that don’t have an RCMP detachment. Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick all have band constable programs, which are more widespread in remote northern communities. The federal government has not committed funding to the six drug treatment courts across the country. Drug treatment courts offer supervised drug rehabilitation.