Did Onion Lake Cree Nation hire staff that Sask. RCMP claim are impersonating police officers?
The ‘security’ staff admit to wearing masks and balaclavas to conceal their identity but claim they were hired by the band council
By James Wright
Earlier this month, the Saskatchewan RCMP issued a media release announcing an investigation into incidents of police impersonation on Onion Lake Cree Nation. The RCMP reported that three individuals in a black SUV with blue and red emergency lights conducted a traffic stop on the reserve, demanding identification from motorists who questioned their legitimacy. The occupants, who were not satisfied with the answers provided, were allowed to continue after the encounter.
The individuals who conducted the police stop were described as wearing black balaclavas and tactical gear, which did not resemble an RCMP uniform. The RCMP has since warned that impersonating a police officer is illegal and urged anyone who encounters such individuals to report the incident immediately.
An Onion Lake resident has claimed that the Onion Lake Band and Council had hired these individuals. However, neither the Onion Lake Cree Nation’s official website nor their social media platforms have confirmed this. Onion Lake Cree Nation Band and Council have been contacted to verify that they hired an outside security group as claimed by an Open Letter.
The open letter, partially written in capital letters and widely circulated, asserts that a private special operations firm was hired by Onion Lake leadership to operate on the reserve. The letter, which claims to come from the so-called Federal Land Enforcement Agency, includes numerous grammatical and spelling errors and suggests that this agency follows “Cree Trial Law.” Despite the letter’s claims, no verified information about the existence of a Federal Land Enforcement Agency has been found.
The open letter further states that the firm was engaged to address what it describes as a “crime and abuse epidemic” on the reserve and that they are hiding their identity.
“Yes we wear masks or balaclavas to conceal our identity because we are working in a hostile environment where dangerous people have been allowed to coexist within the community and fact thrive,” states the letter. “This measure is designed to protect our operators.”
The letter also goes on to claim that they were contacted by Onion Lake Nation to “help them solves the crime and abuse epidemic that is swallowing their people, culture and land.”
They say the front of their vests are marked Special Operations in bright yellow. They claim their trucks are marked “Federal Land Enforcement Agency” and they also claim that the Onion Lake RCMP have been aware of their presence since May 1.
Residents and concerned citizens are advised to remain vigilant and contact the RCMP if they encounter any similar situations or individuals posing as law enforcement.
–With files from Amy Jackson
news@criminalsamongus.ca
