Officials with Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service say they’re welcoming the ratification of a new labour deal between NAPS officers and the police services board, which reportedly provides for salary increases and improvements to officer safety.
The agreement was reached in September, but officers needed to ratify the terms before it became official.
“We are pleased that an agreement has been reached that was acceptable to the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service Board and the officers who serve our communities with such pride and distinction,” Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler was quoted as saying in a press release.
“This will come as a great relief to the leaders of our communities and we thank everyone involved in these lengthy negotiations.”
According to NAN, the new agreement addresses wage and safety gaps between NAPS officers and other police officers in Ontario, and will improve working conditions for officers.
Fiddler also said efforts will continue to negotiate a new policing agreement with the federal and provincial governments.
In 2014, the Auditor General slammed the First Nations Policing program, noting that in some provinces, like Ontario, it doesn’t ensure that policing in First Nations meets the same standards as in non-Indigenous communities, including the buildings out of which officers operate.
NAPS is the largest First Nations police service in Canada and the second largest First Nations police service in North America, employing more than 130 uniform officers and 30 civilians.
The Indigenous police service has officers in 35 communities across NAN‘s territory.