First Nations communities across Canada often lack the police services that other Canadians take for granted. Chronic underfunding, jurisdictional gaps, and historical tensions create a policing crisis affecting public safety, justice, and community wellbeing. The inequities are stark: communities without adequate police presence struggle with crime and disorder while lacking the resources to respond. Understanding this disparity—and what it would take to address it—is essential for any serious discussion of reconciliation and public safety in Canada.
The Current Landscape
First Nations Policing Program
The First Nations Policing Program (FNPP), established in 1991, funds police services in First Nations and Inuit communities through agreements between the federal government, provinces or territories, and Indigenous communities. The program operates on a cost-sharing basis, with the federal government contributing 52% and provinces or territories contributing 48%.
Under the FNPP, policing is delivered through two models: self-administered police services governed by First Nations themselves, and Community Tripartite Agreements where RCMP or provincial police provide dedicated services to specific communities. Both models aim to provide culturally appropriate policing responsive to community needs.
Coverage Gaps
The FNPP does not cover all First Nations communities. Many receive policing through provincial or RCMP arrangements not specifically designed for their communities, often resulting in inadequate service. Some communities have no regular police presence at all, relying on distant detachments that may take hours to respond to calls.
Even where FNPP agreements exist, services often fall short of what comparable non-Indigenous communities receive. Officers per capita ratios are typically lower. Infrastructure is often substandard—inadequate buildings, outdated equipment, poor communication systems. Geographic challenges in remote communities compound these deficits.
Funding Inequities
Chronic Underfunding
First Nations police services operate with significantly less funding per officer and per capita than other police forces. A 2021 report found that First Nations police services receive roughly $31,000 less per officer annually than comparable non-Indigenous services. This funding gap affects everything from officer salaries and training to equipment and facilities.
The consequences are predictable. First Nations police services struggle to recruit and retain officers. Training opportunities are limited. Equipment is outdated. Facilities are inadequate—some detachments lack functional cells, interview rooms, or secure evidence storage. These deficits compromise both officer safety and effective policing.
Inadequate Infrastructure
Many RCMP and First Nations police detachments serving Indigenous communities operate from buildings that would be condemned in other contexts. Structural problems, mold, inadequate heating and cooling, and lack of basic amenities are common. Some officers work from facilities without proper security features. Infrastructure investments have not kept pace with needs.
Program Structure Issues
The FNPP's program-based funding model creates uncertainty and administrative burden. Agreements must be periodically renegotiated. Funding is not automatically adjusted for population growth, inflation, or changing needs. Communities spend significant resources on administration and compliance rather than service delivery.
Unlike provincial and municipal police services, which are recognized as essential services with stable institutional funding, First Nations policing is structured as a discretionary program that can be expanded, contracted, or terminated. This precarious status undermines long-term planning and development.
Impact on Communities
Public Safety
Inadequate police services contribute to public safety challenges in many First Nations communities. Response times to emergencies may be measured in hours rather than minutes. Crimes go uninvestigated or inadequately investigated. Preventive policing—community engagement, problem-solving, visible presence—is limited when officers are stretched thin.
These deficits fall hardest on the most vulnerable. Women facing domestic violence may wait hours for police response. Communities experiencing drug trafficking lack resources for sustained enforcement. Elders and youth are vulnerable to victimization in communities without adequate police presence.
Relationship with Justice System
Policing is the gateway to the broader justice system. When policing is inadequate, access to justice suffers. Crimes are not reported because there is no one to report them to, or no confidence that reports will be taken seriously. Investigations are compromised by lack of resources and expertise. Perpetrators go unaccountable while victims go without support.
At the same time, the historical relationship between policing and Indigenous peoples—marked by colonial enforcement, residential school apprehension, and discriminatory treatment—creates distrust that inadequate current services do nothing to repair. Improving policing requires both better resources and genuine relationship-building.
Self-Determination
For First Nations exercising self-governance, control over policing is an important dimension of self-determination. Self-administered police services allow communities to set priorities, develop culturally appropriate approaches, and build local capacity. But these services cannot succeed without adequate resources. Underfunding self-administered services undermines self-determination in practice.
Calls for Change
Essential Service Recognition
Indigenous leaders and police organizations have called for First Nations policing to be recognized as an essential service, placing it on equal footing with provincial and municipal policing rather than treating it as a discretionary program. This change would provide a foundation for stable, adequate funding.
The federal government has committed to introducing legislation to make First Nations policing an essential service, though progress has been slow. Even with legislation, implementation and funding challenges would remain.
Funding Parity
Closing the funding gap between First Nations and other police services is a basic equity demand. Officers serving First Nations communities should have comparable pay, training, equipment, and facilities to those serving elsewhere. Achieving parity would require significant new investment sustained over time.
Infrastructure Investment
Addressing the infrastructure deficit requires capital investment in detachments, equipment, and technology. Many facilities need replacement rather than renovation. Investments in communication systems, vehicles, and specialized equipment are needed to bring services to acceptable standards.
Community-Based Approaches
Effective policing in First Nations communities requires approaches tailored to community needs and values. This may include integration with restorative justice practices, collaboration with community wellness programs, and culturally appropriate service delivery. Communities themselves are best positioned to define what effective, culturally safe policing looks like.
Questions for Further Discussion
- What would funding parity for First Nations police services actually require, and how should it be achieved?
- How should policing be structured to support First Nations self-determination while ensuring adequate resources?
- What role should restorative justice and community-based approaches play alongside formal policing in First Nations communities?
- How can historical distrust between Indigenous communities and police be addressed while improving current services?
- What accountability mechanisms should ensure that increased funding translates into improved services?