‘Colonial model of policing’ fails many Indigenous communities, study finds

OTTAWA — A federally commissioned report says many Indigenous communities lack policing services that meet their safety and security needs despite long efforts to improve.

It says numerous communities are stuck with a colonial policing model that overlooks Indigenous cultural traditions and fails to create the bonds of trust needed for successful police work.

Public Safety Canada asked the Council of Canadian Academies to assess the role of police services in First Nations and Inuit communities.

The council’s report says the federal First Nations Policing Program has been a source of frustration for many Indigenous communities, partly due to inadequate funding.

The report says the most promising ways to promote safety and well-being involve building relationships among police, other service providers and community members.

It comes as the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women prepares to release its own findings in early June.

The Canadian Press

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