The Innu Nation says a serious incident involving RCMP officers and an Innu man in Sheshatshiu underscores longstanding concerns about policing in its communities and the need to remove barriers preventing them from developing their own police service.

The Innu say they have been calling for an Innu police service for at least a decade, but current provincial legislation does not provide for establishing such a police service outside the existing RCMP or RNC structures.

The Innu Nation says without the necessary provincial legislation, it cannot access funding to begin developing their own police service.

Grand Chief Jodie Ashini says they can’t wait for the completion of their Treaty negotiations to begin building policing capacity.

The Innu say Commanding Officer of the Labrador District, Inspector Danny Williams, has committed to raising the issue of including Innu Community Services Officers in house calls in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish with the RCMP’s Criminal Operations.