"First Nations policing deal will nearly double number of Rez cops in Ontario"

Toronto - A major new agreement on Indian policing has been reached among Native leaders, the province of Ontario, and the federal government.

The agreement earmarks as much as $90 million over the next four years toward Native policing in the province -­ enough to nearly double the total number of Native constables from the current total of 122 to 222 officers by the end of next year.

It also calls on the three levels of government to negotiate a gradual transfer of responsibilities to First Nations police services boards over the next four years, as well as to negotiate in the intervening years for additional officers.

The immediate effect for Six Nations will be the addition of four new officers to the current 12 member force. Three more officers are expected to be negotiated for during the remaining life of the agreement, which runs until 1996.

Alan Grant, a law professor at Osgoode Hall who chaired the negotiating committee through the offices of the Indian Commission of Ontario, said the long range funding agreement should lend a sense of stability to the Indian policing initiative.

"I think this agreement is different from those negotiated in years past in that its for five years," he said.

"It will also mean that communities like Six Nations, which have already established police boards, will be able to take over the administration of the money used to operate those systems."

In the past, agreements were primarily funding arrangements and were made every year. The process began in 1975. Cost sharing between the federal and provincial governments will continue at 52 percent and 48 percent, respectively.

He said the eventual goal is to have quarterly transfer payment made directly to local police commissions, much the same as they are to off reserve municipalities. It would then be the commission's responsibility to disperse the funds as they saw fit.

Parties to the agreement include Six Nations Chief Steve Williams, Treaty No. 3 Grand Chief Peter Kelly, Nishnawbe-Aski grand Chief Bentley Cheechoo, AIAI Grand Chief Harry Doxtater, Grand Chief Joe Miskokomon of the Anishinabek Nation, Federal Solicitor General Doug Lewis, Minister of Indian Affairs Tom Siddon, Ontario Native Affairs Minister Bud Wildman, and Ontario Solicitor General Allan Pilkey.

Said Indian Commissioner of Ontario, Philip Goulais: "Much of what has been said lately about Indian self-government has remained at the level of words and discussions.

"This agreement represents concrete evidence of what self­government can mean, both to First Nations who will benefit directly from police services... and to the non-Native public who will now have another example before them of the results which can be achieved from a co-operative approach in dealing with Indian issues."