RCMP program unique

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Working between semesters often means taking on boring jobs that add nothing exciting to a student's resume.

Not so for a group of 25 students from Western Canada. Following this summer, they can tack small arms training, crowd control, and administrative duties on to their resumes.

The group, five each from British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba, and 10 from Saskatchewan is taking part in the First Nations RCMP Youth Training Program. The 17-week program was spear-headed by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations in collaboration with the federal police force.

"The whole idea of the concept is to give student an insight on what to expect if they go into RCMP training, " said Graham Murdoch, program director. "It is a good vehicle for First Nations students who are in post-secondary education to experience first-hand the (criminal) justice system and police work."

The program's second objective is to provide summer employment for Native students with the RCMP, which can later lead to careers as police officers, added Murdoch.

The Youth Training project replaces a similar program provinces had separately which placed Native trainees in detachments after five days of training. Without necessary training, the students were delegated to mainly office work, or acting as "gophers", said Murdoch.

Now the students receive five weeks of training at the RCMP garrison, undergoing rigorous training in small arms use, self-defence and physical education. The trainees also study the organizational structure of the RCMP, and take classes in history and law.

The students were recruited from western provinces in this pilot project, which Murdoch would like to see expanded into a fully national program. Each trainee was selected by the RCMP following the same procedure used with regular non-Native recruits.

"The only stimulation we, as the FSIN made, was that they be First Nation or Bill C-31. Otherwise, we didn't want any preferential treatment," said Murdoch. "If you ask for that, you create a double standard at the academy."

However, because the students were there for a short time, and weren't full recruits, there were lapses, which students commented on in their evaluations. They weren't disciplined as much as full trainees, and were not tested in class, both issues which the students felt should change, said Murdoch.

A cultural component was added for the students which included a two-day culture camp during which elders and other Native speakers addressed the students.

However, the same was not offered to non-Native recruits, said Murdoch. Tight training schedules didn't allow for the addition of such classes, he explained.

At the garrison grad, each student received an eagle father from Elder Lawrence Tabaco, of Poor Man's Reserve. From Regina, they travelled to their field detachments where their cultural background could be used best, taking into account band and language.

While participating in the project is no guarantee of being accepted into the RCMP, Murdoch would like to see at least 25 per cent of the students in uniform.

"In the long tern, our goal is to get more representatives in the RCMP program,

to the extent of creating our own detachments at certain levels.

"To have our own people involved as officers will help alleviate misunderstandings many Native communities have with the RCMP."