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Chamber, police encouraging Prince Albert business owners to report crime

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Chamber, police encouraging Prince Albert business owners to report crime

Prince Albert’s police chief spoke to the city’s business community at a luncheon on Monday about concerns brought forward in a recent survey.

Patty Hughes, CEO of the Prince Albert and District Chamber of Commerce, said she sent out a short survey to members following last year’s luncheon with the police chief. Responses showed concern with vandalism, intoxication, discarded needles and human feces, leading to unplanned costs, difficulties recruiting staff, and loss of customers.

The survey also received concerns of a “catch and release” system and that reporting crime wasn’t going to change their situation. Several businesses have also hired their own security, it said.

“They can only react to the information that they have,” said Hughes. “By talking to the business owners, there’s a lot of them that honestly were not reporting.”

Hughes said many business owners weren’t aware of the online reporting system. The system is available to report theft under $5,000, a crime many businesses are facing.

“We’re not abandoning petty thefts or vandalism,” said police Chief Patrick Nogier.

He added that while those crimes won’t receive the same frontline response as violent offences, for example, the crimes impacting businesses are still significant. 

“I know it can be challenging and taxing for people to take time out of their day to try and report those incidents, but we try to show the reasons why there’s a significant uptick in our ability to respond to crime if we know about crime,” he said.

Responding to the concern of catching and releasing offenders, Nogier pointed to the need for a complex needs facility as an alternative to holding cells.

“We are not psychiatrists, nor psychologists, but we’re asked to put on that hat more often than not,” said Nogier in his speech. 

“We cannot be social workers; we cannot be psychologists; we cannot be transport facilities;we cannot be detox centres. We need to be good at solving crime.”

These facilities, which were first announced in Regina and Saskatoon, have medical staff to support people dealing with mental health and addictions.

Last month, city council approved the facility with a 7-2 vote, planned to operate at the former liquor store downtown on Ninth Street East.

“It’s a win for our business community,” said Hughes.

“They’re going to be taken to a place where they have an opportunity for an intervention and an opportunity for these people to get help because right now, where they’re going, they’re not getting help.”

Police are limited to 24 hours to detain someone in their holding cells. The complex needs facility would operate on a 24-hour basis and would not be open to the public.

Hughes also put forward the potential for a trespassing prevention program, like in Moose Jaw. The public safety initiative allows police to remove trespassers from commercial properties after hours or when the property is vacant.

– with files from Arjun Pillai 

‘An art form:’ K9 team’s unique skills of immeasurable value to Prince Albert police

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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‘An art form:’ K9 team’s unique skills of immeasurable value to Prince Albert police

Jayda Taylor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Daily Herald

Whether he’s relaxing at home or in the middle of a night shift, Cst. Garth Mostowich has police service dog Ares at his side.

The six-year-old dog was born overseas in Slovakia and chosen for the Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) from a broker in California.

Since then, Mostowich and Ares have gone through a 16-week training program in locating and apprehending suspects, sniffing out evidence, and assisting other units, such as the Emergency Response Team.

“They’re a big part of the service,” said Mostowich. “They’re quick and they’re hard to outrun and they work hard.”

Mostowich has been Ares’ handler for four and a half years. They started training when Ares was 16 months old.

Being a K9 handler, you gain both a full-time work partner and a companion at home.

“We have a tight bond and he’s just like another kid in my family,” said Mostowich.

“He’s just like a normal dog. He likes to sun tan, likes to hang out, likes the ball. If you’re in the backyard doing yard work, he’s always hanging off your hip. He’s always wondering what I’m doing, so he’s very attached to me.”

When Mostowich puts his uniform on, Ares’ personality takes a turn.

“When it’s work time, he’s ready to roll. He wants to go to work, loves going to work – he’s very eager,” he said.

Insp. Craig Mushka oversees PAPS’s support service division, which includes the two K9 teams. Over his 24-year career, Mushka has taken on many roles, and was once a police dog handler himself.

He said the skills required for a successful K9 team are unique.

“K9 handling isn’t like a lot of other jobs in the sense of it’s not like math. It’s not one plus one equals two,” said Mushka.

“It’s an art form, so it takes years to develop that skill and it’s the non-verbal communication. The dog is always talking to you, whether it’s through the way his nose is on the ground or the way he will turn his head or the way his tail will wag.”

When the public sees K9 units in action, it’s because a significant call is occurring. While the dogs can cause injuries when deployed, Mushka said the outcome would be worse if it weren’t for the dogs putting their lives on the line.

“It’s not routine, something significant has already happened and their presence often diffuses situations and if not, if they do have to be deployed, the other options are usually more severe.”

He added that it takes a special type of person and a major commitment to be a handler – whether it’s taking on mostly night shifts, being physically fit to run, sometimes miles at a time, or taking care of the police dog outside of work.

National Police Week

This year’s National Police Week runs from May 11 to 17. This year’s theme is ‘committed to serve together,’ highlighting the collaborations between police agencies and community organizations.

“They work hard every day to maintain the safety of our communities. A police officer’s day is never the same, but whether it’s investigating a crime, searching for a missing person, conducting traffic patrols, or overseeing a bike rodeo – all their actions contribute to safety,” said Rhonda Blackmore, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police.

Mushka said while police are under a critical eye with the spike of technology and social media, officers also receive a lot of community praise. That’s what keeps him going.

“It’s challenging at times, but also very rewarding,” he said.

The National Police Week campaign began in 1970 to connect police agencies with their communities.

Inquest jury rules Montreal Lake RCMP shooting was homicide and not suicide by cop

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Inquest jury rules Montreal Lake RCMP shooting was homicide and not suicide by cop

Jayda Taylor

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Editor’s note: This story contains description of a fatal police shooting and mentions of suicide.

A grieving father had to step out of the court room in tears on Wednesday as a paramedic described his son’s last moments of life.

Dillon McDonald died after being shot by RCMP officers in Montreal Lake Cree Nation in December 2021. On the final day of the inquest into his death, his father, Dirk McDonald, asked the paramedic if he had said anything in the ambulance.

Dirk said he didn’t want his last words to die with him — and he was hoping his son was calling out for him.

“His blood is on my hands. I called him (in) to help him, not to kill him,” said Dirk in an interview. “I believed in the system.”

“There were so many ways they could have made him be alive here today.”

Dirk testified that he came home to find Dillon in his living room, breaching court-ordered conditions that he not be in Montreal Lake Cree Nation. He appeared to be hallucinating and had a gun.

Dirk left and reported Dillon to the community’s security, prompting RCMP to respond and secure the scene. Officers spent hours trying to negotiate with Dillon through a loud hailer.

He eventually stepped out on to a rise at the top of the stairs and lifted his gun towards police. Three officers fired at him, with two bullets hitting his stomach area.

The jury ruled that Dillon died due to homicide, not suicide.

Previous evidence from Sgt. Wes Peters, who investigated the case, suggested that Dillon was considering suicide by cop.

The inquest listened to a recording of a call between Dillon and his brother about a year and a half prior to the shooting, where Dillon said “I don’t care about my life anymore…I’m going to go out bucking with the cops. That’s my suicide right there, by the cops, as long as I get one of them first.”

Just a day before he died, he allegedly made a post on Facebook saying “I’m ready to die, Lord, and I hope I go to Heaven.”

Dirk said he was upset that the inquest included evidence of a phone call from a long time prior, where Peters was asked what certain gang terms meant, along with Facebook photos showing his gang involvement.

Bullet that ‘basically destroyed’ liver leads to death, says pathologist

Peters also said that Dillon was well-known to the RCMP, and that eight out of 10 security calls in the community involved Dillon and others in the gang.

“It was pre-meditated, it felt like, because of his history,” said Dirk.

But to him, Dillon was “full of love.” He enjoyed drawing, music, and sports of all kind.

“Hockey, baseball, soccer, you name it. Ball hockey, he was on many hockey teams growing up and still participated leading up to his passing with the kids, teaching them how to skate,” he said.

“My brother was a very loving father and a very loving sibling. He cared so much about his family,” added his sister, Chantel McDonald.

She said his criminal activity leading up to the shooting stems from the deaths of his mother and brother, who died just a month before.

“We all never got to grieve properly,” she said. “He was just very hurt.”

“His daughter just came to see me last night. I let her visit me all day yesterday, and it just brought back more memories. The one thing he told me is ‘Make sure she never forgets about me. Be there for her.’”

Dirk said his son may still be alive had the RCMP exhausted other options before shooting him. 

He questioned why they didn’t deploy the police dog as soon as Dillon stepped out of the house, or tried to have a family member or other member of the community calm him down.

Peters, however, said the RCMP acted appropriately with the information they had at the time.

Although Dillon’s gun was later found to be unloaded, Peters said police always need to act like it’s loaded.

The jury made two recommendations for the RCMP — to continue enhancing Indigenous representation and providing cultural diversity training at all levels.

Dirk added that First Nations communities need more healing lodges over more policing to address mental health and addictions.

Dr. Shaun Ladham, the province’s chief forensic pathologist, determined Dillon died from one of the two bullets that hit him.

“His liver was basically destroyed,” he said. “The whole centre of it was just torn apart.”

“You’re not going to survive the injury that he had.”

The bullet also damaged one of his kidneys and caused significant bleeding, which — as Ladham explained — likely wouldn’t have been survivable even if he was shot in an operating room.

Ladham said Dillon had several superficial cuts, abrasions and bruises, bite marks on his arm from the police dog, and a small hemorrhage on his scalp, but that these injuries did not contribute to his death.

Because Dillon fell on the gun, the police dog was deployed to pull him down the steps away from the weapon.

Toxicology reports showed a high level of alcohol in his system at 286mg per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg, and Ladham said a person without any alcohol tolerance would likely die at 350 mg.

He said there was no soot in his airway, ruling out smoke inhalation from the fire inside of the house.

The jury at a coroner’s inquest must determine who died, as well as how, when, where, and by what means the person died. In addition, the jury may make recommendations to appropriate agencies to prevent similar deaths in the future.

Inquest underway into 2021 police-involved shooting in Montreal Lake, Sask.

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Inquest underway into 2021 police-involved shooting in Montreal Lake, Sask.

Jayda Taylor

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Editor’s note: This story contains description of a fatal police shooting and mentions of suicide.

An inquest this week is unraveling the details surrounding a man’s death after being shot by RCMP officers on Montreal Lake Cree Nation.

Dillon McDonald’s father, Dirk McDonald, testified on Monday. He described his son as “full of love,” and that the inquest was flooding him with “lots of emotions.”

Dillon was 28 years old when he died on Dec. 14, 2021. 

The inquest heard that Dillon had just been released from custody and breached court-ordered conditions by sneaking past a security checkpoint on to Montreal Lake Cree Nation. He then went to his father’s house.

Dirk described that Dillon was crying when he entered the living room and appeared to be hallucinating, talking to someone who wasn’t there.

“I’d never seen him in that state before,” he said. “That’s what scared me, you know, the most.”

Dirk noted seeing toilet paper, a lighter, and knives on the floor, along with a partially drank bottle of whiskey on the table.

He also described Dillon pulling a gun out of his sweater.

After giving his son a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Dirk left and reported the incident to Montreal Lake’s security services.

“I regret not going on Facebook,” said Dirk, describing how he didn’t anticipate everything that unfolded.

People nearby posted videos of the incident to social media. Those videos were included during questioning with Sgt. Wes Peters with the Saskatoon Police Service, who led the investigation. 

The Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) was not established yet.

Police secured the scene and tried to negotiate with Dillon through a loud hailer.

“He’s not cooperative, he’s very upset, he’s screaming,” said Peters. “There was absolutely no cooperation at that time.”

With smoke billowing out of the windows, Dillon came out of the front door and on to the rise at the top of the steps. When he wouldn’t comply, three officers fired at Dillon, with two bullets hitting him in the stomach area. 

“Commands from police were ‘Don’t touch the gun, don’t touch the gun,’” explained Peters, adding that Dillon had fallen on top of the weapon.

Since he still had access to it, a K9 dog pulled Dillon down the stairs. He died on the way to hospital in Prince Albert.

Peters said the gun was not loaded.

‘That’s my suicide right there’

When asked if anything could have been done differently to prevent Dillon’s death, Peters said the RCMP acted appropriately with the information they had in the moment.

However, he said the safest place for Dillon was in custody.

“I would suggest that there were some underlying issues that Dillon was dealing with,” he said, pointing to evidence suggesting that Dillon was considering suicide by cop.

The inquest listened to a recording of a phone call from 2020 between Dillon and his brother.

“I’m going to go out bucking with the cops,” said Dillon. “That’s my suicide right there, as long as I get one of them out first, you know.”

As part of their investigation, Peters said police also looked into Dillon’s social media activity. 

The day before the shooting, Dillon made a post on Facebook that ended with “I’m ready to die, Lord, and I hope I go to Heaven.”

The post also said “You’re going to have to body me this time,” which Peters said could be referencing a previous incident.

The previous September, police found Dillon unconscious in the cemetery with a loaded gun.

Dirk said his son had been struggling to grieve the loss of his mother and the sudden death of his brother just a month prior to the shooting.

An inquest is not a criminal proceeding. It outlines the circumstances of someone’s death in order to prevent similar deaths in the future. 

The six jury members may make recommendations to the appropriate agencies once testimonies are complete.

The inquest continues on Tuesday.

‘The right fit:’ Patrick Nogier sworn in as Prince Albert police chief

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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‘The right fit:’ Patrick Nogier sworn in as Prince Albert police chief

When Janet Carriere witnessed Patrick Nogier’s natural leadership abilities, she knew Prince Albert’s Board of Police Commissioners would offer him the critical role of chief.

“He walked into the police service and he could already see a lot of the things that could be made better,” said Carriere, the commission’s chair.

“Almost immediately, he brought the morale of the officers up, and that was key because their morale was very low.”

Nogier was sworn in as Prince Albert’s police chief on Wednesday.

He was appointed in the interim position on a six-month contract that ended in November. After months of weighing the pros and cons, Nogier said he decided to accept the position permanently.

“I can work out of my comfort zone and really try and contribute to a community that needs it, or I could’ve stayed somewhere where I would’ve been more comfortable. I just felt that this was the right fit,” he said.

Prince Albert police Chief Patrick Nogier speaks at his swearing in ceremony on Nov. 29, 2023. – Jayda Taylor, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter/Daily Herald

Nogier previously served as the superintendent for the Criminal Investigations Division in Saskatoon.

He said he never envisioned transferring to a smaller force that receives less funding and less resources. Yet, especially in Prince Albert, the police service is still tackling “big city issues” such as addictions, gang activity and high rates of violence.

At his swearing in ceremony, Nogier spoke about earning the trust of the community through as much transparency as possible. That can be difficult, he said, since the police service is often bound by confidentiality and due process.

“There’s no template about how to be a chief. All I can bring is sincerity and honesty about what I want to bring to the job,” he said.

“I won’t ask for that trust. I’ll show them that trust. It will be through the dialogue; it will be through communication; it will be through a willingness to listen to perspective. That’s the only way.”

Police Chief Patrick Nogier recites an oath from Justice Meschishnick at his swearing in ceremony on Nov. 29, 2023. – Jayda Taylor, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter/Daily Herald

The relationship between the Prince Albert Police Service and the Indigenous community has been a point of tension in recent years.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) voiced the need for change after Sgt. Tyson Morash was criminally charged in the in-custody death of Saul Laliberte.

Another officer, Cst. Dillon Husky, is facing three counts of common assault in separate cases.

Although Nogier was not part of the police service during the incidents in question, he was responsible for re-assigning Husky to administrative duties and relieving Morash from duty completely.

That was one of the reasons that former Chief Jon Bergen said he needed to step down. After allegedly receiving harassment from members, he said his decisions involving officers could be viewed as biased.

Nogier said he’s trying to mend relationships with local Indigenous peoples by taking part in traditional ceremonies, such as sweats.

“You have to know the past before you can move forward with the future, and you have to know what wasn’t working. You have to know why certain people have certain perceptions of police and get a better understanding for that,” he said.

Several Indigenous leaders welcomed Nogier at the ceremony.

Elder Liz Settee gifted Nogier a yellow cloth representing her traditional name, Yellow Calf. Glen McCallum, president of the Metis Nation – Saskatchewan, invited him to participate in Back to Batoche Days in the summer.

Settee and Elder Leonard Ermine also gifted Nogier a starblanket.

Board of Police Commissioners Chair Janet Carriere speaks at Chief Patrick Nogier’s swearing in ceremony on Nov. 29, 2023. – Jayda Taylor, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter/Daily Herald

Carriere said if Nogier hadn’t accepted the offer, the board would have had to find a headhunter to search for candidates. She said that option would have been “scary,” not knowing exactly who they were bringing in.

She was relieved that wasn’t the case.

“I already see that he looks at his staff as his family and that he’s the leader of that family and that he needs to pull them in and pull them all together and make sure that they’re all okay,” said Carriere about Nogier.

“He’s not a boss; he’s a leader.”

CUPE 882 set to vote on latest tentative agreement reached with City of Prince Albert

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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CUPE 882 set to vote on latest tentative agreement reached with City of Prince Albert

The City of Prince Albert and the union representing inside workers have reached a tentative agreement that could end its months-long strike.

Last week, CUPE 882 announced it had secured a bargaining date with the city on Friday – now, this upcoming Thursday, membership will vote on whether or not to ratify the agreement.

The union said it would release more information after the vote.

Because a tentative agreement was reached, CUPE 882 cancelled a rally that was scheduled to take place Monday evening in conjunction with the City Council meeting.

This is the second time the two parties have reached a tentative agreement.

After the last agreement was reached in late September, the union decided to halt the vote after learning that the city planned on continuing with a call centre system that had been established during the strike.

The vote eventually proceeded, with about 81 per cent of members rejecting the city’s proposal.

CUPE 882 represents employees at City Hall, the Alfred Jenkins Field House, Art Hauser Centre, Arts Centre, EA Rawlinson Centre, and Frank Dunn Pool.

Workers have been on the picket line since Sept. 11. They began job action, though, on Aug. 10 by refusing to train others and not following dress codes.

They were at impasse over a one per cent offer difference in general wage increases.

CUPE 882 was seeking a 12 per cent increase, while the city said it wouldn’t let tax payers foot the bill for more than 11 per cent, with 11.5 per cent for the lowest paid employees.

Tom Cochrane cancels sold-out Prince Albert show due to CUPE 882 strike

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Tom Cochrane cancels sold-out Prince Albert show due to CUPE 882 strike

The sold-out Tom Cochrane show scheduled to take place at the EA Rawlinson Centre this week has been cancelled due to the CUPE 882 strike.

“The Rawlinson Centre here in Prince Albert was ready to host the show, but the decision of the artist given the ongoing strike was to cancel. Of course, we respect that decision, but it is deeply disappointing,” said the city’s Director of Corporate Services Kiley Bear.

In a statement posted on social media, Cochrane said his team is working on finding another date.

“We have continuously worked with the folks at the EA Rawlinson theatre, hoping for a resolution, but currently find ourselves at an impasse,” reads the statement.

“Being union members, we cannot in good faith cross the picket line to the venue.”

CUPE 882 also represents employees at City Hall, the Alfred Jenkins Field House, Frank Dunn Pool, Art Hauser Centre and the Arts Centre. The union has been on strike since Sept. 11.

According to a news release, the city and the union set a tentative bargaining date for Tuesday following discussions with a provincial conciliator last week. The city agreed to meet on that date, but the union said they wouldn’t be “available or prepared” until the end of the month.

“That was unfortunate. You know, we got the impression that there was some urgency and some willingness and interest to settle this soon so that employees were back to work before Christmas – that did not transpire,” said Bear.

She added that tickets for Tom Cochrane will be refunded in the coming days. The show was set to take place on Friday as part of The Duo Songs and Stories Tour.

This is not the first act that has chosen to cancel or postpone because of the strike. Other performers, including the Bear Grease theatre company and comedy duo Middle Raged, have opted not to cross the picket line.

At the beginning of November, the acapella group Countermeasure performed at the Union Centre instead.

Bear said the Rawlinson Centre has lots of capacity to re-book shows in the new year.

Meanwhile, the union representing the city’s outside workers has voted in favour of joining CUPE 882 on the picket line – however, it’s not in a legal strike position yet.

Bear said the city and CUPE 160 must first determine which services will be deemed essential under the Employment Act. 

“We can come to a mutual agreement amongst ourselves, and if we can’t agree, we have to take it to the labour board for a determination on our behalf,” she said.

Bear said, so far, those discussions have not occurred.

CUPE 160 represents employees at the water treatment plant, waste water treatment plant, sanitation department, parks and recreation, roadways, rink operation staff, janitors in city facilities, fleet mechanics, airport maintenance workers and cemetery staff.

Wastewater stats affirm Prince Albert’s growing drug crisis, says police chief

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Wastewater stats affirm Prince Albert’s growing drug crisis, says police chief

Nogier says regular analytics needed to shift enforcement strategies

A new report based on wastewater testing paints a staggering picture of drug use in Prince Albert.

Data from the Canadian Wastewater Survey shows the city has the highest daily load per capita of cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription amphetamines among seven Canadian cities – also including Saskatoon, Halifax, Montreal, Edmonton, Metro Vancouver and Toronto.

The Canadian Wastewater Survey conducted tests for various drugs between January 2022 and May 2023, which was compiled into a Statistics Canada report released on Nov. 1.

“In the context of an ongoing drug crisis in some parts of Canada, wastewater data can provide nearly real-time information, which contributes to a better understanding of current drug use and emerging trends,” reads the report.

“This information can help inform more targeted public health responses and law enforcement activities.”

Prince Albert police Chief Patrick Nogier said the numbers “validated what we were always concerned with” when it comes to drug activity, particularly methamphetamine. 

What remains unknown, though, is why exactly Prince Albert has such an alarming drug problem.

“What we’re trying to figure out is what is it about Prince Albert that makes it an attractive place to either purchase, consume, or sell drugs,” said Nogier.

“Is it the geographic location? Is it the fact that we’re one of those main gateways to the north where you have an influx of individuals that come from rural areas into the community – because it is one of the major communities in the northern part of the province – where there can be a gathering for the sale and distribution of drugs?” he questioned.

Currently, he said, the police service is largely reactive to crime. Nogier said the first step to more preventative measures is investing in analytics to gain a deeper understanding of why particular crimes are occurring.

“It’s trying to get a better comprehension of that so that we can maybe intervene with enforcement strategies,” he said.

The numbers

Cocaine, methamphetamine and other amphetamines are stimulants, which speed up the body’s system. Methamphetamine is an illicit drug, while other amphetamines are prescription drugs used to treat conditions such as ADHD.

About half of accidental opioid toxicity deaths across the country also involved a stimulant, according to a recent report from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The wastewater results indicate that Prince Albert had 1,633 mg of cocaine per 1,000 people per day in 2023, with a standard error of plus or minus 204 mg in early 2023.

Saskatoon’s wastewater showed a daily load per capita of 1,081 mg of cocaine during that same time, and Toronto’s sat at 1,001 mg.

Prince Albert had the highest average per capita load of cocaine among seven Canadian cities in 2022 and early 2023. – Statistics Canada

The methamphetamine numbers show a much larger difference.

Prince Albert had 1,459 mg of methamphetamine per 1,000 people per day, with a standard error of plus or minus 98 milligrams in early 2023. It was slightly lower in 2022, at 1,447 mg.

Saskatoon’s wastewater showed a daily load per capita of 893 mg of methamphetamine in 2023.

In Halifax, though, testing in 2023 showed a daily load per capita of only 33 mg of methamphetamine.

Both methamphetamine and amphetamine levels were highest in participating cities in the prairies, according to the report.

This chart shows the load per capita of methamphetamine in Prince Albert in recent years in comparison to six other Canadian cities. – Statistics Canada

Prince Albert also had the highest numbers for prescription amphetamine use, with 178 mg per 1,000 people per day in 2023, slightly higher than in Saskatoon at 145 mg.

Statistics Canada’s observations showed that overall jumps in methamphetamine and amphetamine use did not align, implying there was an increase in amphetamines. However, more research is needed to determine if this is due to illicit amphetamine use or increased prescriptions.

‘A one-to-one correlation between violence and the drug trade’

Nogier said drug use fuels other types of crime related to weapons, theft and violence – posing a threat to frontline officers and public safety.

“There’s a certain amount of traumatization and victimization that comes as a result of the drug culture. Whether that is one drug rival working against another, using violence to try and take over a certain area of the community, using violence to try and intimidate, force other…drug entrepreneurs out of the community,” he said.

“There’s definitely a one-to-one correlation between violence and the drug trade.”

Prince Albert’s new police chief, Patrick Nogier, speaks to media at City Hall on Oct. 23, 2023. – Jayda Taylor, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter/Daily Herald

Nogier said the police service has been looking at how other countries have applied wastewater data to law enforcement.

He said Australia is noticing significant decreases in per capita loads a few months following a major drug bust.

“A decrease can be representative of inability to purchase product. If the product is not available, whether it’s a disruption of supply or the supply is just not accessible, drugs will become more expensive,” explained Nogier.

“When drugs become more expensive, you don’t have people that are going through substance abuse issues that have the ability to say ‘I can’t afford it, therefore I won’t use it’ – They still have that because it’s a very biological, physiological dependency.”

This leads to crimes like theft, property violence, and robberies to fuel their drug habits.

Nogier said targeted policing initiatives, such as the Crime Reduction Team, play a major role in seizing weapons related to drug activity. 

Enforcement is “only one side of that complete triangle” to reduce, alter or prohibit someone’s drug habits. Nogier said another important step to reducing drug activity is working within the community through outreach or education.

Survey shows Prince Albert residents split on speed bumps in Barton Drive area

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Survey shows Prince Albert residents split on speed bumps in Barton Drive area

A survey from the City of Prince Albert suggested that residents in the Barton Drive area are split on whether or not the street needs speed bumps.

Traffic and Transportation Manager Evan Hastings presented the report at the city’s executive committee meeting on Tuesday. The report showed results of a six-month trial of temporary speed bumps between May and October.

While the numbers showed little impact on speeding, Hastings said the survey was crucial.

“The most important part of this trial, though, was the community consultation, making sure everybody was heard in this area who was impacted by the speed cushion,” said Hastings.

The city received a 46 per cent response rate on the surveys.

Forty-seven responses said permanent speed bumps weren’t needed, while 42 felt they were necessary to slow people down.

“The speed cushion, it did have a good impact of where it was located, and then all the way east on Barton Drive, not so much of an impact to the west,” Hastings said about the results.

The city collected data at three locations before, during and after installation.

The Traffic Calming Policy requires an 85th percentile speed of at least 10 km/hr over the limit to warrant “traffic calming” measures, such as speed bumps, raised crosswalks and speed monitoring radar. The 85th percentile speed is the speed where 85 per cent of drivers travel below, and 15 per cent above.

The bump had no impact near Coombe Drive, with the 85th percentile speed at 44 km/hr.

At the mid-block location, Hastings said “traffic slowed substantially” while the speed bump was in place, at 30 km/hr for the 85th percentile speed. Once it was removed, that number increased to 43 km/hr.

Lastly, near Eagle Street, the speed bump showed an 85th percentile speed of 37 km/hr. After, the 85th percentile speed saw a minor increase to 39 km/hr.

“In total, during this one-week study, five vehicles exceeded 65 km/hr, all near Coombe Drive, and the maximum speed recorded was 77 to 80 km/hr,” Hastings explained.

Barton Drive is located in Ward 6, represented by Coun. Blake Edwards.

“There is a speeding problem on Barton. Not the average speed, but some of the speeds captured are near criminal,” he said.

“It’s a real shame that 118 km, I think, was the fasted captured on our speed sign. That’s crazy.”

Edwards said he’s seen videos of people driving on to the curb to avoid the speed bumps, “or sit in front of the speed hump and burn rubber just to harass the families that have tried to curb the speed.”

Hastings said the city began receiving complaints of speeding on Barton Drive in 2020.

Studies by police and public works showed an 85th percentile speed of 42 to 44 km/hr – meaning traffic calming measures were not warranted. Still, in 2022, city council decided to conduct a speed bump trial.

As one CUPE local continues to picket, another conducts a strike vote against City of Prince Albert’s contract offer

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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As one CUPE local continues to picket, another conducts a strike vote against City of Prince Albert’s contract offer

City says union’s proposal is ‘well beyond the realm of possibility’

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include comment from the City of Prince Albert.

The City of Prince Albert could see another strike in the near future.

The union representing outside workers – CUPE 160 – conducted a strike vote on Thursday. Meanwhile, CUPE 882 continues to picket after voting down the city’s offer three times.

CUPE 160 includes employees at the water treatment plant, waste water treatment plant, sanitation department, parks and recreation, roadways, rink operation staff, janitors in city facilities, fleet mechanics, airport maintenance workers, and cemetery staff.

“The city continues to seek numerous concessions, and the current wage mandate is well below inflation,” said Leslie Mourot Bartley, CUPE 160’s president.

“We believe that a strong strike mandate is needed to motivate our employer to settle.”

The union will not be in a legal strike position “for some time,” however, with several steps ahead before job action can commence.

“The City of Prince Albert needs to realize that their current approach to labour relations is failing,” said Mourot Bartley.

CUPE 882 represents workers at City Hall and recreation facilities, such as the Alfred Jenkins Field House, Art Hauser Centre and EA Rawlinson Centre. While it’s been picketing since Sept. 11, workers began job action a month prior by refusing to train others or follow dress codes.

Kiley Bear, the city’s director of corporate services, said many CUPE 160 departments are covered under essential service legislation.

“We have already started planning for the potential outcome of a strike and we can assure residents that disruptions will be limited,” she said.

According to the city, CUPE 160’s most recent proposal includes a 22 per cent general wage increase over four years. The union has requested an extra eight per cent in other monetary asks, including three more sick days per year, for a total of 18.

“CUPE 160’s bargaining team continues to put forward unreasonable monetary demands that are well beyond the realm of possibility. It is clear they are not motivated to find a resolve and keep their members at work,” said Bear.

The city said its offer includes an 11 per cent wage increase – the same as CUPE 882.

The lowest paid employees would also get an increase, bringing their wages up to $19.44 from $15.83, and airport maintenance workers would see an increase during the winter to $28.29 from $27.68. The offer also includes a shift differential increase for water treatment plant employees.

In return, the city is requesting employees contribute one of 15 sick days to a “sick bank” for short-term disability. Additionally, it’s asking that when an employee is sick, they cannot take an overtime shift within 24 hours unless the callback list has been exhausted.

Other requests are adding weekends to the standard hours of work at the airport to meet the needs of airlines, and to determine if non-permanent positions should be made permanent if they have not been laid off for three consecutive years.

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