Minister of Justice Tracy-Anne McPhee has communicated four policing priorities for 2018–19 to the Yukon RCMP that focus on addressing violence against women, responding to serious and organized crime and building stronger relationships with First Nations, communities and youth.
Yukon’s annual policing priorities are informed by the Minister of Justice from recommendations given by the Yukon Police Council, as well as information and analysis provided by the Government of Yukon’s Department of Justice.
The Yukon Police Council plays a vital role by engaging with Yukoners to identify the policing needs of all our communities. I thank them, along with the RCMP, for their dedication to building safer, stronger and healthier communities. This year’s policing priorities continue to advance important work to address violence against women and respond to serious crime in the territory including the unprecedented number of homicides in the last two years.
Minister of Justice Tracy-Anne McPhee
The annual Yukon policing priorities continue to serve as an effective guide for the Yukon RCMP to align our policing goals with the goals of the communities we serve. We look forward to working with our partners and community members to adapt these priorities to local needs, and will ensure that our efforts are focussed on opportunities that will have the greatest impact on each community.
Commanding Officer Chief Superintendent Scott Sheppard, Yukon RCMP
The 2018–19 territorial policing priorities are to:
- Enhance prevention, investigation and enforcement activities related to violence against women;
- proactively respond to serious and organized crime;
- engage with and support children and youth; and
- promote strong relationships with First Nations, communities and partner agencies.
Yukon's 2018–19 Policing Priorities
Priority: Enhance prevention, investigation and enforcement activities related to violence against women.
- Continue to actively investigate unsolved cases of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
- Continue to train members to ensure a compassionate respectful and appropriate response to sexualized assault, domestic violence and sexual exploitation.
- Specialized Response Unit: provide advice and lead investigations into cases of intimate partner violence and sexualized assault as well as continue to support, provide advice and work collaboratively with other agencies.
- Historical Case Unit: operate and support investigative activities related to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and liaise with victims’ families, Yukon First Nations, community groups and other partners.
Priority: Proactively respond to serious and organized crime.
- Respond to emerging crime trends through proactive and intelligence-led policing.
- Historical Case Unit: continue to investigate historical homicides and cases of missing and murdered indigenous women.
- Focus drug investigations and enforcement on all levels of the drug trade.
- Continue to enhance the response to and investigations of violent crimes in the territory connected with the drug trade and criminal groups.
- Respond to emerging crime trends such as increased property crime through proactive approaches.
Priority: Engage with and support children and youth.
- Build trusting relationships with youth and children in collaboration with other service providers.
- Partner with inter-agency stakeholders to proactively respond and prevent youth exploitation and sexualized assault.
- Enhance community policing presence at schools and colleges.
Priority: Promote strong relationships with First Nations, communities and partner agencies.
- Continue to strengthen lines of communication between First Nations, communities and the Yukon RCMP and be visible and accessible to the public.
- Carry out local orientation of new police officers in close coordination with First Nations, community leaders, non-governmental agencies and other stakeholders.
- Recruit police officers who are a good fit for each community.
Sunny Patch
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7478
sunny.patch@gov.yk.ca
Catherine Young
Communications, Justice
867-667-8050
catherine.young@gov.yk.ca