File Hills First Nations Police Service getting increased funding from province

The Saskatchewan government is providing more financial support to the File Hills First Nations Police Service.

In a media release Monday, the government said it was increasing funding to the police service by about $357,000, bringing the province’s total contribution over the nine-year agreement with the service to $12.8 million.

“The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to partner with the File Hills First Nations Police Service and support them through this ongoing funding agreement,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Christine Tell said in the release.

“The File Hills First Nations Police Service is an excellent example of how government and First Nations can work together to provide proactive, culturally sensitive policing.”

The funding changes are retroactive to April 1, 2019 and run until March 31, 2028.

The province, the federal government and the File Hills First Nations have a cost-sharing agreement for the police service, with the province providing 48 per cent and the feds providing 52 per cent. Federal funding to self-administered police services was increased in the 2021-22 federal budget.

The File Hills First Nations Police Service was created in 2002 and became a fully self-administered First Nations police service in May of 2007. It comprises 10 police officers and four special constables who work on the Carry the Kettle First Nation, Little Black Bear First Nation, Okanese First Nation, Peepeekisis First Nation and Star Blanket Cree Nation.

The possibility of adding more First Nations police forces in Saskatchewan was raised again after the stabbing deaths of 10 people on the James Smith Cree Nation and one person in Weldon over the Labour Day long weekend.