Auxiliary Program in Yukon
The Auxiliary Program was introduced in 1963 to enhance community policing and crime prevention initiatives. Auxiliaries give their time to help keep our communities safe, and the RCMP values these volunteers greatly and considers them a vital part of the organization.
There are three different Tiers of service for provinces to choose from and activities vary from division to division:
Tier 1:
- Neighbourhood Watch programs, public education initiatives, non-enforcement support to operations, community fundraising events and participation in parades and public ceremonies.
- Tier 1 Auxiliaries will perform these activities under the general supervision of an RCMP employee and will not be given peace officer status. Tier 1 Auxiliaries are expected to contribute a minimum of 60 hours per year to the program including training.
Tier 2:
- Tier 2 includes all of the activities listed in Tier 1 with the addition of community presence via foot and bicycle, access and traffic control, and disaster assistance. Tier 2 does not include operational patrols.
- Tier 2 Auxiliaries will be under the close supervision of an RCMP regular member. Tier 2 Auxiliaries are expected to contribute a minimum of 120 hours per year to the program.
Tier 3:
- Tier 3 includes activities from Tier 1 and Tier 2 with the addition of general duty patrol, attending calls, check stops, scene security and searches of persons as directed by a Regular Member.
- Auxiliaries under Tier 3 will be under the direct supervision of an RCMP regular member.
- Tier 3 Auxiliaries are expected to contribute a minimum of 180 hours per year to the program.
Yukon Auxiliary Program
In February 2020, the RCMP Yukon detachment shared a Memorandum of Understanding of the Auxiliary Program with the Yukon Government (YG) and had a follow-up conversation with the YG Justice's ADM Al LUCIER. YG has expressed its interest in pursuing the re-establishment of a Tier 3 Auxiliary Program in the territory, but needed more time to consider the obligations of theTerritory for this venture.
The RCMP discussed an implementation period of two to three years down the road if YG decided this is something they wanted to pursue. YG's Minister of Justice also spoke of the Auxiliary Program as being one of a number of potential options to refine RCMP's policing in the Yukon, as stated in her 2020-2021 policing priorities for "M" Division. As a means of fostering meaningful relationships with First Nations, including Elders, and throughout the community, the YG would like to re-define the RCMP’s role to help maintain healthy, safe communities, alongside other community supports such as the auxiliary policing program, community safety officers, community safety guards, and the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods unit (SCAN).
Community Safety Officer (CSO) Program
Since then, another alternative, the Community Safety Officer (CSO) Program, has gained significant interest and traction with a growing number of Yukon's First Nation Communities. This interest is based on the early successes of the CSO program in Kwanlin Dun First Nation, which works in partnership with the RCMP. Currently, the CSO program is viewed as the better option for Yukon's Self Governing First Nations to provide enhanced support to the RCMP in communities. YG's position on the CSO Program is "wait and see" as the initiative will likely result in substantial funding requests from Yukon's First Nations to create and sustain CSO's in the various Communities. Should the CSO Program be widely adopted in the Yukon, we can assume that YG's interest in pursuing the Auxiliary Program will diminish significantly.
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