M’CHIGEENG—The UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service has established the first ever full-time canine unit on Manitoulin Island.
“The UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service (UCCM APS) is excited and proud to welcome the first ever full-time canine unit on Manitoulin Island,” stated James Killeen, UCCM APS Chief of Police on January 15.
“UCCM would like to send out a chi-miigwech to Sault Ste. Marie Police Service and in particular Chief Hugh Stevenson and Deputy Chief Brent Duguay for making this transition seamless,” said Chief of Police Killeen in a release. “It was truly appreciated. UCCM would also like to thank the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) for their continued support in making this canine unit a success through continued ongoing training within their canine program. UCCM would not have been able to establish our canine unit without the support from both the SSMPS and OPP in making this a reality.”
Chief of Police Killeen told The Expositor, “Without the support of the SSMPS and OPP it would take three to four years and double the price we paid in order to establish a canine unit, plus training officers and be ready to go on the road.”
“By working with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, we are able to have a fully functioning canine unit ready to hit the road,” said Chief of Police Killeen.
“UCCM is grateful to be able to continue to establish specialized units that will benefit the safety of not just our Mnidoo Mnising communities, but all of Manitoulin Island. Specialized units were previously not permitted for Indigenous police services under tri-partite agreements with the federal and provincial governments,” explained Chief of Police Killeen. “However, UCCM Police is part of an ongoing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) complaint that was filed by the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario (IPCO) against the federal government. A federal court ruling by Judge Gascon in June 2023 allowed for these specialized units to be established as it was ruled there are discriminatory clauses in section 6 of the terms and conditions of the FNIPP. The eventual goal of the CHRT complaint is to change the First Nation Inuit Policing Policy (FNIPP) that governs Indigenous Police Services, so we can run our organizations to meet the needs and demands of our communities and offer equitable services that align with mainstream policing.”
Chief of Police Killeen explained, “Constable Nick Beaudry comes to UCCM with a wealth of past and current experience that includes the military reserves, summer student with the OPP Marine Unit, Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service as an auxiliary constable, as well as close to 10 years of experience as a constable with both the Greater Sudbury Police Service and Sault Ste. Marie Police Service where he was currently working as a full-time canine officer. Nick was born and raised on Manitoulin Island and is excited to be back home with family, friends and familiar faces.”
“The police service dog (PSD) is a Belgian Malinois named ‘Ben.’ Constable Nick Beaudry and PSD Ben, previously graduated from the OPP Academy Canine Training Centre in Orillia, Ontario after a gruelling 18-week training course that included suspect apprehension and searching for evidence. Nick and Ben also took a five-week training course in drug detection,” continued Chief of Police Killeen.
Chief of Police Killeen said, “Canine Units are an immense asset to law enforcement. Police service dogs, such as Ben, have a keen sense of smell which can assist in quickly detecting suspects or evidence that a regular officer could miss.”
“Manitoulin Island will see Nick and Ben out and about working and training in our communities, attending schools and community events to offer educational presentations on what the UCCM Canine Unit has to offer,” added Chief of Police Killeen.