Pelican Narrows celebrated their new RCMP Detachment with a Grand Opening on June 16 with many dignitaries involved including RCMP F Division Commanding Officer, Rhonda Blackmore, and 29 to 30 RCMP members from around the province; Prince Albert Grand Council(PAGC) Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte, and two to three hundred community members, Staff Sgt. Dwayne Whitford, said in an interview with the Northern Advocate.
Whitford was the commanding officer at Pelican Narrows during much of the building of the new Detachment. He now a District Manager out of Prince Albert.
The RCMP Detachment in Pelican Narrows was getting old. The building, equipment and technology dated back to the 1980s.
“The old Detachment; it had run it’s cycle. The technology was outdated. The wiring and the plumbing were starting to fail … it wasn’t big enough anymore,” Whitford said.
The new building is next to where the old Detachment stood. The old one was torn down and a four-plex built in its place.
“The community of Pelican Narrows is a busy place and the technology wasn’t keeping up. So the new building is keeping up with what technology is today. There’s more workspace for the members.”
Instead of having small offices here and there, the new Detachment has an open area concept making it easier for members to work as a team. And it’s expandable. While Pelican Narrows is a 15-member Detachment, there is room for that to change if necessary, Whitford said.
“The work environment is a lot more conducive to a better work environment, better team environment … there’s room to expand,” he said.
The Detachment boasts new equipment and furnishings, computers, desks, everything is new in the building as well.
The WIFI is updated operation and speed, and new computer have high-end technology and are new and up-to-date.
The Guard station is very well laid out, compared to the old cell block area, Whitford said.
The Guard station visibility is very good, the access to the things they need is right there, things like meals, cleaning supplies. Everything is right there easily accessible in the new detachment and lots of room for storage, unlike the old Detachment; it was very poorly laid out. The guard station wasn’t the best … visibility wasn’t good.
The community has had input into various parts of the new Detachment, for example, they were consulted about the window coverings which was important to them. Community members have been through the new Detachment and the comments have been good, Whitford said.
Fitness is also a big part of the RCMP, Whitford said.
“Health and Fitness, as you know, ties in with mental health so we made sure there was a top-quality gym right in the Detachment.”
It offers the opportunity for members to work out right in there.
Victim’s Services workers have a separate entrance in the new Detachment. In the old Detachment Victim Services staff and clients had to walk through the Detachment to their offices now it’s separate.
“It’s very private. They don’t have to come through the Detachment like they did in the old. So, it’s very welcoming for Victim Services and victims themselves, Whitford said.
The Victim Services worker has an office and a soft room with new couch, chair and equipment to make it more comfortable for everyone. The overall occurrence statistics for Pelican Narrow’s Detachment from 2018 to 2022 has risen. These figures are accurate for the date they were reported may have changed in other reporting procedures, such as ongoing investigations, so they may different from previous reports. The numbers: 2018 – 4,580; 2019 – 5,111; 2020 – 6,065; 2021 – 5,944; and 2022 – 6,168.
