Hay River, N.W.T., leaders call for more community action to combat drug-related crime

A police operation in Hay River, N.W.T., last week that police said was linked to the illegal drug trade has left many local residents feeling uneasy about crime — and some say the community needs to work together to address the issue. 

The incident on Friday morning had RCMP asking people in the neighbourhood to shelter in place because of a police operation underway. Later in the day, police said the situation was over and that multiple people had been taken into custody.

Seven people who were arrested were released without charges, said police, while three men — all from Edmonton, and one of whom appears on that city's most-wanted list — were charged with various offences. 

Hay River Mayor Kandis Jameson described the incident as unnerving for residents, particularly those living near the affected area.

"It makes everybody uneasy, obviously. It's not good," Jameson says. "But I think our officers do an amazing job here in our community."

Jameson said it's essential for the community to combat crime and she encourages residents to report suspicious activity when they see it.

"If you know something, phone Crime Stoppers," she said. "It helps the RCMP create a file or add to the existing file on individuals."

She said tips provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers can make a significant difference.

To tackle some of the issues, Jameson said the town has created a healthy communities committee, which includes representatives from the territory's Health and Justice departments, the RCMP, the Friendship Centre, and local Indigenous governments.

Jameson says it's a collaborative effort, with one of the goals being to tackle drug-related crimes. She says the committee has developed a strategic plan and is now focused on implementing it.

"We have definitely taken some huge steps," she said. "I think it's going to take all of us to make a difference."

RCMP spokesperson Const. Josh Seaward said community involvement is essential to preventing crime. He encouraged residents to take public safety seriously and take ownership of their community.

"Many of our tips are received through Crime Stoppers," he said.

Seaward said that while the RCMP is committed to conducting investigations and making arrests, police cannot solve the problem alone.

"The root cause of the drug trade is addiction, and that's not something you can police your way out of," he said. "There has to be solid community support networks in place to address this."

Seaward said community watch programs are generally positive, as they encourage the public to take ownership of community safety. Neighborhood watch programs can act as additional eyes and ears for the police.

One example of grassroots action is a Hay River community watch group that works together to try and keep the community safe from crime.

Hans Wiedemann grew up in the community of just over 3,000 people and is a member of the community watch group. He believes that working together can make a visible difference in tackling crime.

He strongly encourages other communities to start their own community watch initiatives. Wiedemann said it can take time to set up initially, but it's worth it. He wants to see more community-driven efforts to look out for each other.

"Talk to your neighbours, organize something. Some actions are better than no action," he said. "I hope other communities pick this up because it's a worthy effort that brings results."

Wiedemann said the RCMP does a great job but cannot do it alone. Communities have to come together and get involved. 

"Once you're not unified, then problems come," he said.