Inquest hears Prince Albert man died of complications from muscle damage condition

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Inquest hears Prince Albert man died of complications from muscle damage condition

Doctor testifies that she never thought Jordan Norfield was at risk of dying

An autopsy report discussed at the inquest of Jordan Norfield on Thursday lists his cause of death as “complications from severe rhabdomyolysis” – a life-threatening condition of which Norfield had several risk factors.

Norfield’s time of death was 9:05 p.m. on Dec. 5, 2020 at the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert.

Four days prior, he was arrested for breaching his COVID-19 self-isolation orders and held overnight in police detention cells from Dec. 1 to Dec. 2.

As shown in video footage of his cell, Norfield was drinking excessive amounts of water, and frequently vomiting and urinating. Half way through the night, he started to lose his balance, shake and appeared to be seizing, which led to hitting his head on the concrete walls.

Rhabdomyolysis occurs when damaged muscle tissue spreads its proteins and electrolytes into the blood.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Derek Musgrove testified that in Norfield’s case, complications included acute kidney and liver failure. Other risk factors included alcohol consumption, COVID-19 and thrashing and seizing in his cell.

“Mr. Norfield was medically managed, however, despite standard of care, he deteriorated and was subsequently pronounced deceased,” reads Musgrove’s report.

The autopsy report also noted superficial injuries, including a gash on Norfield’s head and bruising.

An evaluation of his brain revealed minor swelling, but “there was no internal evidence of blunt force or penetrating injury,” reads the report.

Jordan Norfield (right) and his mother Sandy Pitzel (left). Norfield died in Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital after being transferred there from police detention cells. – Lakefield Law/Submitted

Dr. Comfort Alara, a primary care physician, was the final witness to testify.

Norfield was placed under Alara’s care once he was admitted to hospital. The first time she physically assessed Norfield was on Dec. 3.

“He was awake; he was talking; he was restless,” she said.

Alara said she reviewed the emergency room’s assessment of elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels – the indicator of rhabdomyolysis – and dehydration. She was also aware that he was COVID-19 positive, had a history of alcohol abuse, and had been transferred from the police cells.

“I did not know anything about what happened while he was in custody,” she testified.

Alara said she spoke with Norfield’s mother, who said he had a history of seizures. She said he did not have any seizures in the hospital.

Alara added that knowing the large amounts of water he was drinking wouldn’t have changed her treatment plan.

The standard treatment for rhabdomyolysis is IV fluids to flush the toxins out of the body.

The inquest heard that Norfield’s CK levels were 11,000 U/L when he was assessed in the emergency room. The normal range is 30 to 200.

The next day, on Dec. 3, his CK levels rose to around 41,000, and even more on Dec. 4 to 73,000.

On Dec. 4, Alara said Norfield was “severely agitated” and hallucinating due to withdrawal. He removed his IV and catheter, so staff gave him medication used for alcohol withdrawal to settle him and continue treatment.

The morning of Dec. 5 – the day he died – Norfield’s CK levels dropped down to around 21,000. Tests showed Norfield had minor kidney injuries, said Alara.

But still, Alara left work that day expecting that he would eventually be discharged from hospital. It was never a thought that he was at risk of dying, she said.

Norfield’s CK levels were listed as over 76,000 in the autopsy report.

Jury makes 3 recommendations to police service

The six-person jury determined that Norfield’s death was accidental.

They made three recommendations to the Prince Albert Police Service to improve operations in the detention cells.

The first recommendation is that random audits be conducted no less than four times per year to ensure that operations in the detention cells are being followed.

Secondly, the jury suggested that all police and security staff who may be working in the detention cells be required to review all policies annually.

The last recommendation is about video surveillance of the cells. The jury suggested that the police service consider giving the sergeant in charge of the detention cells “limited” ability to play footage back. Any playbacks should be logged and only accessible by an individual password, they recommended.

Norfield’s inquest was not mandatory since he did not die in the custody of the police. The inquest was requested by the chief coroner of Saskatchewan.

The purpose of an inquest is not to find fault, but to determine the circumstances surrounding someone’s death with the hopes of preventing similar deaths in the future.

‘It was the wrong decision,’ testifies PA police sergeant about not calling an ambulance for prisoner who later died

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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‘It was the wrong decision,’ testifies PA police sergeant about not calling an ambulance for prisoner who later died

The inquest into the death of Jordan Norfield in Prince Albert included a three and a half hour testimony from a police sergeant on Wednesday — the person who multiple witnesses have said had the final say on not calling an ambulance to the detention cell.

Sgt. Tyson Morash testified that he was overseeing both the detention cell and the street overnight from Dec. 1 to Dec. 2, 2020. That night, Norfield was detained for breaching his COVID-19 self-isolation orders.

On Monday, the inquest saw video footage of Norfield in his cell. Half way through the night, around 1:30 a.m., Norfield began losing his balance, shaking, and appeared to be convulsing on and off until paramedics arrived around 9 a.m.

Paramedics came for a scheduled pickup to take Norfield to hospital for a medical assessment to see if he was fit to transport to North Battleford — not because he was in medical distress.

Norfield died in hospital on Dec. 5. So far, no evidence has been presented on his cause of death.

The inquest heard that the first time Morash decided against calling an ambulance was at about 10:45 p.m., when a guard notified him that Norfield said he was struggling to breathe.

The decision, as Morash said, was influenced by a call to the hospital.

“They didn’t feel there was a need for him to come back to the hospital so quick,” he said, and recalled telling the guard to monitor him closer.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Norfield went to the hospital twice earlier that day due to chest pain. All of his tests suggested he was healthy.

Then, shortly before 3 a.m., Morash was out of the building when the constable relayed over the radio that he felt Norfield should go to the hospital because it looked like he was seizing.

Morash said he called Parkland Ambulance to see if they could do an in-cell check, but was told that was something they don’t do.

“I have called an ambulance many times for seizures, many times,” he said. “Most of the time, generally, it’s not a seizure.”

In response to a question from a lawyer, Morash said he would consider it “flopping versus convulsing.”

He told the inquest that he assumed Norfield was intoxicated. In a lot of cases, Morash said once prisoners sober up, “they want out of there badly” and their addiction “leads them to say or do things that aren’t true.”

COVID-19 also played a role in Morash’s decision, he testified.

“The thought was if we don’t have to move him, we won’t,” he said.

Morash added that, especially at that time before vaccines were available, COVID-19 was considered a major risk to public safety. Not only did he not want to put any more stress on the hospital, he didn’t want to risk the safety of the staff and civilians there.

At about 5:30 a.m., Morash said he saw Norfield fall off of the toilet and hit his head on the wall. This caused a two-inch gash that later need to be stapled up.

Morash said “I don’t believe that you could” seriously injure yourself falling from a seated position. He also said he hadn’t noticed any blood.

For three and a half hours following the fall, Norfield laid on his stomach on the floor with his pants down, covered in urine.

When lawyer Scott Spencer was questioning Morash, another lawyer, Mitch Holash, interrupted to say it was sounding “argumentative” and that Spencer seemed to be seeking different responses.

At one point, Morash attempted to answer to Spencer, but he continued speaking.

Spencer repeatedly questioned Morash on how not wanting to further expose others to COVID-19 influenced his decision to not call an ambulance earlier on in the night, since Norfield was already scheduled to go to the hospital in the morning.

“That doesn’t make any sense. That was already going to happen anyways,” said Spencer.

Coroner Tim Hawryluk reminded counsel that inquests are not intended to find fault. Instead, inquests determine the circumstances surrounding a death so that the six-person jury can make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.

During cross examination, Holash asked Morash about intoxicated people often falling in the hands of the police — and that sergeants aren’t medically trained aside from basic first aid.

“Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of resources in the community,” said Morash. “It comes down to managing resources.”

In one year, Morash said Prince Albert police saw 6,600 people come into the detention cells. He estimated that 80 per cent of those people were intoxicated by drugs or alcohol. 

Since this incident, a pilot project was implemented — and continued to remain in place — where a paramedic stays at the detention cells for 12 hours overnight to ensure prisoners are receiving proper medical attention.

Morash said it makes a big difference.

“If a paramedic tells me he needs to go to the hospital, he needs to go to the hospital,” he said. “It’s huge.”

Morash admitted that “it was the wrong decision, without a doubt” to not call an ambulance.

Despite having issues with addictions, Morash said Norfield “was generally a pretty good kid.”

“I am truly sorry to the family,” he said.

‘He was messed up:’ Police cell guard describes Jordan Norfield’s abnormal behaviour at PA inquest

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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‘He was messed up:’ Police cell guard describes Jordan Norfield’s abnormal behaviour at PA inquest

Jordan Norfield’s mother started crying on Tuesday listening to a police cell guard describe the moments that led up to her son’s death three days later.

Sandy Pitzel has been sitting in on the inquest into Norfield’s death, scheduled to last all week in Prince Albert.

Pitzel hugged the person next to her as she listened to Mike Mesluk’s testimony. Mesluk was working as a guard in the detention cells at the Prince Albert Police Service on Dec. 2, 2020, the day after Norfield was brought into custody for breaching his COVID-19 self-isolation orders.

Jordan Norfield (right) and his mother Sandy Pitzel (left). Norfield died in Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital after being transferred there from police detention cells. – Lakefield Law/Submitted

“Jordan was one of those guys that you could share a little joke (with),” described Mesluk. “He was a good prisoner.”

Mesluk testified that Norfield was frequently brought into the detention cells intoxicated. However, he said, he was always polite and typically curled up on the bed in a blanket.

On Monday, the inquest saw video clips from Norfield’s cell that showed him acting normal for the first half of the night. Around 1:30 a.m., he appeared to start losing his balance, shaking, and eventually looked to be having convulsions that led to hitting his head on the concrete walls.

He laid on the floor for three and a half hours before receiving help, as shown in the inquest.

“He was messed up,” said Mesluk, but also testified that “it didn’t appear to be critical.”

Mesluk came in around 5:30 a.m., replacing another guard, Paul Lecore. Lecore worked from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. that night.

He said he pressed an emergency alarm, which communicates to the sergeant and other officers on duty to come for assistance. As Mesluk and Lecore explained, guards are not allowed to open cell doors, but monitor prisoners through video footage and conduct checks every 10 minutes.

“He looked like he was having a seizure,” Lecore described. “I thought he should’ve went to the hospital at that time.”

According to an agreed statement of facts, Norfield went to the Victoria Hospital twice for chest pain before being taken into custody. Blood and urine tests, along with a chest scan, suggested he was healthy.

Paramedics arrived at the cell block around 9 a.m. — about seven hours after Norfield started to appear “disoriented,” as described on Monday by Sgt. Curtis Bradbury.

Bradbury said paramedics weren’t there because Norfield was in medical distress, but for a scheduled transfer to hospital. The Saskatchewan Health Authority required an assessment for Norfield to determine if he was medically fit to be transported to North Battleford to isolate at a COVID-19 detention facility.

Emergency doctor says he was not aware of Norfield’s ‘disoriented’ state throughout the night

Paramedics transported Norfield to the emergency room, where he saw Dr. Ferdie Smit.

Smit told the inquest that Norfield had a laceration on his head, which he washed out and stapled. A scan of his brain came back normal.

He said he was not aware of Norfield’s high water consumption, vomiting, and urination throughout the night. Being aware of his apparent seizures, in particular, would have been important to know, he said.

“I’m very surprised that all of this history and information was not communicated,” said Smit about police and paramedics.

He added that normally the communication is “quite good,” but “in this case, it wasn’t.”

Smit’s biggest concern from further testing was his elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels. Normal levels are between 30 and 200, he said, whereas Norfield’s came back at 11,000.

Smit treated this through IV fluids to flush the enzymes through his system so that they wouldn’t get stuck in his kidneys, he explained.

Smit diagnosed Norfield with rhabdomyolysis, where damaged muscle tissue releases proteins and electrolytes into the blood. The condition can come from a number of factors, including traumatic injury, infection, illegal drugs, alcohol and intense exercise.

He also diagnosed Norfield with dehydration —  without knowing about his excessive water intake — and hypokalemia, which is low potassium levels.

Norfield died in hospital on Dec. 5.

Witnesses scheduled for Wednesday include more police officers and medical professionals.

Inquests are not meant to place blame, but to determine the circumstances leading to someone’s death so that similar deaths can be prevented in the future. The six-person jury in Norfield’s inquest may make recommendations to relevant parties for future improvements.

Inquests are mandatory for deaths of someone in custody, unless they died of entirely natural causes that could not have been prevented.

First day of inquest shows Jordan Norfield ‘disoriented’ in detention cell, says PA police officer

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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First day of inquest shows Jordan Norfield ‘disoriented’ in detention cell, says PA police officer

Norfield detained after breaching COVID-19 self-isolation orders, inquest hears

The first day of testimony at an inquest in Prince Albert provided a glimpse at the events that led to the death of a man at the Victoria Hospital nearly three years ago.

Jordan Norfield, 30, died on Dec. 5, 2020 – four days after he was initially taken into custody by the Prince Albert Police Service. On Monday, the inquest heard that Norfield wasn’t complying with self-isolation orders after testing positive for COVID-19.

Sgt. Curtis Bradbury walked the chief coroner, counsel and jury through video clips of Norfield while he was held in the detention cells overnight from Dec. 1 to Dec. 2.

Police led Norfield into his cell around 7 p.m. He was wearing black clothing, a disposable face mask and a blue, striped toque.

“When he comes in, he’s perfectly fine,” said Bradbury.

For the first half of the night, Norfield appeared normal, aside from drinking excessive amounts of water, vomiting, and using the toilet. After taking several sips from the tap, Norfield was given a 4 oz cup and drank out of it nearly 130 times, according to Bradbury.

Around 2 a.m., Bradbury explained, is when Norfield “started becoming disorientated.”

Norfield was struggling to balance, was visibly shaking, and began using two hands to drink from the cup.

“At times, he is talking to himself,” said Bradbury. “He’s pretty unbalanced, unsteady.”

At one point, Norfield holds the cup up to his ear, as if it were a phone, and appears to be talking to himself.

Shortly before 3 a.m., Bradbury said the guards noticed that Norfield was in medical distress and hit an alarm for assistance. At this point, Norfield was unable to stand up and started “convulsing,” as Bradbury described.

The video showed Norfield falling head first into the wall above the bed. Then, while on the toilet at about 5:30 a.m., Bradbury said Norfield’s body “locks out” and he falls on to the floor, hitting his head again on the wall. Bradbury noted blood on the wall beside the toilet and along the edge of the bed.

“He ended up striking all three walls with his head,” he said.

Norfield remained on his stomach on the floor until paramedics arrived around 9 a.m.

This was prior to a partnership between the SHA, Parkland Ambulance and police that saw a paramedic oversee the detention cells overnight to ensure people were getting medical assistance in a timely manner.

Bradbury said paramedics were not there because Norfield was in medical distress, but for a scheduled pickup to take Norfield in for an assessment related to his public health order breach.

Paul Ross was the manager of environmental health services with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) at the time. His testimony revolved around the process of rolling out detention orders, which were not intended to penalize the patient, but for the sake of public safety.

Ross said Norfield required a medical assessment to determine if he was healthy enough for a two-hour drive to the provincial detention facility in North Battleford. This was also required due to a lack of medical support at the facility.

He was deemed unfit to be transferred.

“This might have been the first or one of the earlier (cases)” in Prince Albert that required police involvement, he told the inquest.

Another witness, public health inspector Alden Georget, said the health care system was still learning how to navigate COVID-19. 

“One analogy was building the plane as you fly,” he explained.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Norfield tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 24 and was ordered to self-isolate for 14 days.

On Nov. 30, Norfield went to the hospital twice, saying he took a higher dose of his prescription medication. Although he complained of chest pain, blood and urine tests, along with a chest scan, showed no abnormalities.

Norfield was told to stay in his room at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites on “assisted isolation,” said Ross.

On Dec. 1, Ross said he received a call that Norfield was not complying to isolation orders. Ross went to the hotel and spoke with him in the hallway.

“I really thought I had gotten through to him,” said Ross, adding that he was satisfied that Norfield would comply moving forward.

Instead, Ross was informed that Norfield had left the hotel. He was located downtown at Checker & Family Taxi and Georgie’s Beer & Wine Store – that’s when police took him into custody.

Further details will be released when more witnesses testify throughout the week.

Inquests are mandatory when a person dies in custody, unless the coroner is confident that the death was of natural causes and could not have been prevented.

Inquests are not civil or criminal proceedings, but are intended to determine the facts to prevent similar deaths in the future.

Mining company vows to continue Indigenous inclusion amid concerns about new project in northeastern Sask.

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Mining company vows to continue Indigenous inclusion amid concerns about new project in northeastern Sask.

The company behind a mining project in northeastern Saskatchewan says it has prioritized Indigenous engagement and representation in response to concerns raised by nearby residents and an environmental group.

The McIlvena Bay Mine, operated by Foran Mining Corporation, is located south of Flin Flon, and is surrounded by the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) communities of Deschambault Lake, Pelican Narrows and Denare Beach. It’s also north of Cumberland House Cree Nation.

Foran Mining is currently focused on preparing for construction in the spring, with commissioning planned for late 2025.

The underground mine intends to produce about 4,200 tonnes of ore daily, extracting copper, zinc, and traces of gold and silver.

“The relationships, the partnerships that we’ve built, we’ve never taken them for granted. We always strive to do our best as a neighbour,” said Jason Linklater, Foran’s community and Indigenous engagement lead.

“We’ve been fortunate to be invited by leadership into the community to participate in information sessions, but also other community celebrations and gatherings.”

Linklater, himself, is from Pelican Narrows.

Over the summer, a group of Indigenous elders held a protest in the northern First Nation against the project. Elder Eileen Linklater, who led the demonstration, said Foran, PBCN, and the provincial government weren’t doing enough to consult Indigenous peoples who call the area home.

The environmental group For Peat’s Sake – Protecting Northern Saskatchewan Muskegs also raised concerns about disturbing caribou habitat, water contamination, lowering the ground water table on peatlands, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Elder Eileen Linklater says Foran, the Government of Saskatchewan and the PBCN should consult community members in a way that’s accessible to those who speak another language or don’t have a computer. — Eileen Linklater/Submitted

David Bernier is a strategic advisor and the former chief operating officer of Foran. 

“From the beginning of the environmental assessment process, we’ve been into communities several times, each of the eight PBCN communities probably four or five times each – open forum, everybody’s willing to come and discuss,” he said.

“We are aware of a few people that do have some concerns. I don’t think it’s at the elder level.”

McIlvena Bay Operating Ltd. and the PBCN have signed a collaboration agreement on the mine. At the time, PBCN Chief Karen Bird said it was an opportunity to “reap benefits of this vital resource project while preserving our Treaty and Aboriginal rights, cultural values, and environmental interests.”

Bird said the PBCN worked with independent experts such as biologists, a chemical engineer, and a senior scientist who focuses on human health.

Foran has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Cumberland House Cree Nation.

According to Foran, the project will be environmentally-friendly with water recycling, monitoring the surface and treated water, and management of tailings, a byproduct of mining from leftover rock and soil.

It will also have a fleet of underground electric vehicles for low emission transportation.

The Hanson Lake area, where Foran is working on a mining project. — Norma Bear/Submitted

“I think it’s a huge opportunity because there’s an untapped resource in their backyard,” said Bernier about nearby Indigenous communities.

“We have people that are willing to work that are close to the mine site, so it just provides an opportunity to give people a leg up and to have meaningful employment for decades to come, potentially generational opportunities.”

The mine currently employs 100 people. If you include contractors, that number increases to nearly 200. About 30 per cent of those employees are Indigenous, something Bernier said the company is proud of, but will continue to work to improve.

During construction, Bernier said Foran will need to have roughly 490 people working on site. Efforts to fill those positions include recent job fairs in Creighton, Flin Flon and Pelican Narrows and getting “boots on the ground” in these communities.

Bernier said Foran began a “very successful” shuttle service from Saskatoon that runs three days a week. The shuttle also comes through Prince Albert, making positions more accessible to people in the city.

“It will expand to other communities once we kind of know where people are going to be going to the site from,” he said.

Linklater said Foran is working on a permanent camp for employees to live on site. While the camp will be built to accommodate all employees, they’re working on a minimum requirement of being away from work, depending on where the employee lives.

Bernier said they wouldn’t want an employee driving two hours back home after a 12-hour shift, for example.

Recent feasibility results suggested an initial 18-year lifespan of the mine, according to Foran.

Sask. homelessness strategy includes permanent emergency shelter in Prince Albert

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Sask. homelessness strategy includes permanent emergency shelter in Prince Albert

YWCA facing staffing hurdles to get Stepping Stones shelter running for the winter

A funding commitment from the Saskatchewan government is allowing a Prince Albert homeless shelter to expand.

The Stepping Stones Emergency Shelter, ran by the YWCA, has been operating overnight during the winter at the exhibition grounds for the last few years.

With $830,000 from the province, CEO Donna Brooks said they’ll be able to open permanently with 45 beds. In the past, she said, the YWCA has largely relied on funding on a year-to-year basis to operate seasonally.

“This will allow us to open 24 hours, which is huge. Previously, everyone had to leave and come back and we were only open for either 12 hours or 16 hours, depending on the time of year,” she said.

“What permanent, year-round funding does is you don’t have to lay off staff in the spring and try to find staff again in the fall. You don’t run into that.”

However, Brooks explained, the YWCA is facing staffing challenges to get the shelter running for the year.

Brooks said they started posting job positions in August, but didn’t have enough trained staff to open as planned on Oct. 15. Instead, they’re eyeing a Nov. 1 opening.

“There’s a fairly significant labour shortage right now, so staffing is hard. It’s hard to find staff, especially in 24-hour programs.”

Brooks said they’ll stick to 12 hours a day for the first month, and then switch to 24 hours on Dec. 1.

Prince Albert YWCA CEO Donna Brooks speaks during a media availability on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. – Nathan Reiter/Daily Herald

The YWCA is also seeking a different location for the shelter.

“We’ve been looking at different options for a permanent shelter and have some ideas, and hopefully we will kind of know by the new year where we are eventually going to land with that.”

The funding is part of the province’s new homelessness strategy, announced earlier this month. It includes an over $40 million investment over the next two years for additional spaces for emergency shelters, supportive housing, and complex needs.

The complex needs shelters in Saskatoon and Regina will include supervision of intoxicated people for up to 24 hours.

At the same time, the provincial government announced a five-year mental health and addictions plan. It includes 500 new treatment spaces and a self-referral treatment system.

“I think they’re headed in the right direction because homelessness is such a complex issue. It’s not just one ministry and one agency that can help solve it. There’s so many things that play into it and it looks like they’re working at all angles,” said Brooks.

The homelessness strategy is a collaboration between the ministries of social services, health, and corrections, policing and public safety.

“Along with community partners, we are working to improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness and better support individuals who need more than a home to remain connected to housing,” said Gene Makowsky, minister of social services.

With winter approaching, Brooks asked the public to be open-minded to those on the streets.

“A lot of people sometimes think homelessness is a choice. There might be some people that are out there on the street that they do choose that because that’s how they would like to live, but most of the time it’s not a choice,” she said.

“It’s a matter of circumstances that have led up to that.”

The Stepping Stones shelter currently offers cots, light meals, showers, toiletries and laundry services.

According to a news release, the enhanced emergency shelters will provide three meals a day, wellness and cultural support and financial and housing assistance.

Prince Albert’s challenges, uniqueness to police contributed to interim chief staying on permanently

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Prince Albert’s challenges, uniqueness to police contributed to interim chief staying on permanently

Patrick Nogier says he’s ready for a challenge.

After serving Prince Albert as interim police chief for over four months, Nogier decided to stay on permanently – part of that decision, he said, was the drive to improve safety in a community with “big city issues,” but limited policing resources.

“It has homelessness, addictions, transiency, criminal activity, and you may not have all of the same type of support mechanisms from a policing perspective,” he said.

Previously, Nogier worked at the Saskatoon Police Service as the superintendent in charge of the Criminal Investigations Division. His career there spanned three decades in a variety of roles.

He said Saskatoon has resources such as an air support unit for patrol – which it says reduces the city’s crime rate by at least 10 per cent – and dedicated units for tactical support and sex crimes.

“The men and women that are responding on the day-to-day activity in Prince Albert are responding to and responsible for much more than their counterparts in larger cities,” said Nogier.

The answer isn’t always more officers on the ground. While statistics show an adequate number of police officers for the city’s population, the amount of people in the city fluctuates because of its transiency.

“It’s not always about bullets and handguns and batons. Sometimes it’s about engagement; sometimes it’s about re-thinking how you approach a situation and what your response is going to be. There are a lot of good initiatives that we can work on moving forward.”

While acknowledging that the police service has a long way to go, Nogier said it’s made “remarkable improvements” in the last few months. This includes engaging with both internal members and the public and more efficiently responding to calls.

Nogier highlighted an alternative call response system, where officers respond to calls based on priority. He added that discussions of an updated strategic plan included community consultation.

He also said, often, sometimes a work environment is in need of a new sets of eyes.

“Bringing somebody new in doesn’t necessarily solve all of those problems, but what it does do is just allows an organization to sit back, reflect, and just get back to the table and talk,” he said.

“All it takes is a renewed interest to discuss and re-engage.”

Nogier was appointed to the interim position in June following former Chief Jon Bergen’s resignation. The Board of Police Commissioners announced on Thursday that Nogier would be taking over permanently.

In July, the Saskatchewan government released 45 recommendations to the police service stemming from an independent review. The full report was not released.

Rod Knecht, former chief of the Edmonton Police Service, “strongly recommended” that the board look towards external candidates for the next chief in Prince Albert.

The inquiry followed Public Complaints Commission investigations into three in-custody deaths in late 2021 and the death of 13-month old Tanner Brass in early 2022.

Bergen left the force after the report on Brass was released in May, saying he and his family were receiving harassment internally and externally. At the time, he said he didn’t want his decisions involving members to be seen as biased.

“There’s a distinct difference in what I’ve experienced in the past three decades of policing in Saskatoon and what I’ve experienced in a short time in Prince Albert,” said Nogier.

“Coming from a larger centre, I can say that there is an instilled sense of community bonding and community collaboration when it comes to getting together to move things in the right direction.”

Nogier said that many of the areas that required improvement were already being worked on prior to his arrival.

“We hear the community when they’re concerned about what’s going on and the challenges that they face when they’re going through a drive-thru, when their garage gets broken into, when they’re scared to walk through a park at nine o’clock at night for fear of retaliation and gang activity,” he said.

Nogier assured the public that the officers on the ground are in uniform for the right reasons – and that he, too, is dedicated to improving community well-being.

“I will do everything that I can to earn the trust of the public,” he said.

“I do not demand trust…trust is earned. It’s not something that can be taken for granted, and it can be fragile.”

Son of woman who died in historical unsolved homicide in Prince Albert planning memorial bench

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Son of woman who died in historical unsolved homicide in Prince Albert planning memorial bench

Theron Morin is working on a memorial bench to honour his mother, whose death over 30 years ago remains an unsolved homicide.

Police found the body of 29-year-old Jean LaChance south of the Victoria Hospital in 1991.

“It’s a good thing to remember her by – because I don’t want her to just become a number,” said Morin.

“I want a more permanent reminder.”

In just two days, Morin raised the $2,173 needed to have the bench built out of Saskatoon. While he’s still confirming the details, he hopes to have her name and a memorial quote engraved on the bench.

Morin said the bench will likely be complete this year, but won’t be installed until springtime. It will be located along the Rotary Trail by the Alfred Jenkins Field House, near where LaChance was found.

“The community has been amazing, like I got donations from people I didn’t even know, people not even in my family. To raise those kinds of funds in less than two days was well beyond my expectations,” he said.

Morin said he brought up the idea at his most recent meeting with the police investigator, who assured him that a bench would be a touching way to honour his mother. He then reached out to the city for approval.

‘I’m not going to give up hope’

Morin was only six years old when LaChance died. He mostly remembers her laugh.

“Thankfully, I remember the good times,” he said.

“She liked to do family things, us and all of the kids. Picnics and family events like that. I just remember being with her and all of my older siblings at the time. We were never really inside from what I remember,” said Morin.

“If we were going somewhere, we were going somewhere together.”

Jean LaChance was last seen on Sept 14, 1991 – Prince Albert Police Service/Submitted

From what others tell him, LaChance was outgoing and friends with everyone. Above all else, though, she cared about her family.

Morin is the only sibling that still lives in Prince Albert.

“I’m older than she was when she passed away. We all are now; we have been for a while now. It really makes you think, you know, she was so young.”

Now 37 years old, Morin said he’s the family’s main contact with the police. Even though it’s been 32 years since she died, he longs for closure. 

“It’s just one those things that you obviously can’t really control too much, but you can’t help but be frustrated about it,” said Morin.

“I have complete faith in the police department to find who did it. I’m not going to give up hope. I’m not going to stop.”

Last month, on Sept. 14, the Prince Albert Police Service put out another call for information on the anniversary of LaChance’s death.

A joint statement from LaChance’s children said their aunt, specifically, “hopes to find closure in her lifetime” and that “there’s room for forgiveness.”

Anyone with information on LaChance’s death is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

‘We’ve had enough:’ Sask. Cree nation calls for more support after declaring state of emergency

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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‘We’ve had enough:’ Sask. Cree nation calls for more support after declaring state of emergency

The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) says it’s in need of long-term funding to tackle root causes of crime.

PBCN declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after the alleged murder of a 17-year-old boy in Deschambault Lake.

One of the accused is also a youth. She cannot be identified due to her age and Deschambault’s small population of about 1,500.

“It’s just not right to be losing our young people this way. There’s a better life,” said Chief Karen Bird.

“We’ve had enough. We need to make a big deal of this now. It needs to be heard what we’re going through.”

Bird said PBCN has been holding daily meetings since the homicide on Oct. 1.

The declaration allows PBCN to establish an emergency operations centre, consisting of health care staff and external partners. Bird said leadership is meeting with Indigenous Services Canada “in the coming days” to discuss the need for additional public safety personnel and infrastructure.

Bird said PBCN receives funding as if it’s one community, rather than eight separate communities: Deschambault Lake, Southend, Sturgeon Landing, Prince Albert, Amisk Lake, Kinoosao, Pelican Narrows and Sandy Bay.

Bird said that leaves PBCN underfunded. Not only because resources are being split between eight communities, but because the issues present in one area are different than the next.

“Our plan is to increase the presence of law enforcement, community outreach programs and collaboration with external partners, agencies to address the root causes of violence,” she said.

One of those issues is housing.

For all of PBCN, Bird explained, there’s only 907 homes for 12,300 people. Aside from having nowhere to call home, she said there’s a lack of employment, education and recreation opportunities.

“It’s getting to the point where people are living with anxiety 24/7 now and it’s not a safe environment,” she said, adding that the RCMP are a crucial part of improvement.

“We do have challenges where officials or RCMP come to our communities and they leave in two years. We need a better relationship with them.”

Brian Hardlotte, grand chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council, echoed the need for better relationships between chief and council, inter-agencies, police and the provincial and federal governments.

“We can’t achieve anything unless we break that communication gap,” he said.

Vice-Chief Christopher Jobb said the PAGC is working towards preventative solutions to crime, opposed to reactive. This especially applies in communities that don’t have municipalities close by.

“We need to pass by these hurdles in order to move forward because every life matters in our communities,” said Jobb.

Bird said the state of emergency will remain in place until chief and council is “confident that safety benchmarks have been met.”

This is the third state of emergency in PBCN in less than a year. In response, leadership has developed a wellness group that’s currently focusing on the most extreme needs.

Strike continues as CUPE 882 votes against tentative deal with City of Prince Albert

Jayda Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Strike continues as CUPE 882 votes against tentative deal with City of Prince Albert

The union representing inside workers at the City of Prince Albert has voted to reject a tentative agreement.

According to a news release, 81 per cent of CUPE 882 members voted to reject the city’s offer and continue on with the strike.

“We hope this will send a strong message to city council,” said Mira Lewis, CUPE national representative.

The tentative agreement includes an 11 per cent general wage increase, including adjustments to bring the lowest paid employees above minimum wage, vision coverage for all employees and expanded EFAP coverage to include non-permanent employees.

CUPE 882 members, who work at City Hall and recreation facilities, sat in on a city council meeting on Monday evening.

At the meeting, Ward 2 Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp was unsuccessful in having council set a bargaining date. She required unanimous support for leave to have her motion discussed on Monday rather than at the next meeting.

“We can’t wait one month to hear this and to hear council out on this particular issue,” she said.

Mayor Greg Dionne was one of four who voted against it, saying that the union needed to vote on the tentative agreement.

“I won’t be giving you leave strictly because they haven’t even voted on our last proposal,” argued Dionne.

“It’s not in our park. They have to vote, and then if they accept, they’re back to work. If they deny, then we’re back to negotiations.”

Lewis said the union wanted to let members “decide our path forward” since it didn’t see the city taking action. She’s hoping Dionne’s comment means they’ll get back to the table.

“We hope that administration takes this to heart and immediately returns to the bargaining table prepared to offer a meaningful deal,” she said.

CUPE 882 said it will be reaching out to the city and mediator Kristin Anderson to set bargaining dates.

The union has been taking job action since Aug. 10. A full withdrawal of services began on Sept. 11, impacting City Hall, the EA Rawlinson Centre, Frank Dunn Pool, Alfred Jenkins Field House and the Arts Centre.

The two parties reached the tentative agreement at the end of September. The union decided to stall the vote after learning that the city planned to continue with a call centre established at the beginning of the strike.

The vote was held on Tuesday.

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