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21TuesdayApril292014NorthernersRCMPByMARIACHURCHAftera34-yearcareerwiththeRCMPandafour-yearstintasheadoftheNorth-westTerritoriesGDivi-sionchiefcommandingof-cerWadeBlakeiscallingitquits.Thetopcopisleavingbigshoestollforhisreplace-mentSupt.RonSmithwhohasbeensecondincommandoftheNWTdivisionforthepasttwoandahalfyears.SincemovingNorthforthepositioninFebruaryof2010Blakehasmadeanameforhimselfbytravelingtoalldetachmentsintheterritoryatleastonceayeartocon-sultwithcommunityleaders.Blake-whoofciallyre-tiresfromtheRCMPonApr.30-saidinaninterviewwithTheJournallastweekthathistravelstooftenremoteandisolatedAboriginalcom-munitieswasthebestpartofhisjob.ThehighlightwastogetoutandtotalktocommunitymembersandtotalktoourRCMPmembersaswellandtheirfamiliestoseeifwewerehittingthemarkandwhatwecandobetter.Ireallyenjoyedthatpartofitheshared.In2012asaresultofhistravelsandconsulta-tionsBlakeestablishedanadvisorycommitteetogetfeedbackfromAboriginalNWTtopcopretiringafter34yearsinRCMPChiefSupt.WadeBlakemovingtodepartmentofJusticecommunitiesonhowRCMPofcerswereperformingintheirroles.Thecommitteesgoalwastodetermineifpoliciessuchasrequirementsfornewre-cruitstolearnthelocalcul-turewereworkingorfail-ingtobuildupcommunitytrustintheRCMP.BlakesaidhisadviceforhissuccessorSmithistocontinuevisitingcommu-nitiesandbuildupanow-establishedgroundworkofprogramsandpartnershipsforconsultationandimprovedtransparency.Myadvicetohimwasthatitsallbeenlaid.Itsverysuccessfulandpeoplearehappytheygetasayinwhatwedoineachofthecommunities.Weneedtocontinuethatheneedstobuildonthathesaid.PursuinganewcareerBlakewhojoinedtheforceat18yearsoldin1980saidhisplanallalongwastoquittheRCMPafter35years.Butatonly54hejokinglysaidhesjustababyandnotreadytoretire.IknewIwasgoingtogoat35anywayIdsaidthatallalongbutIdalsosaidthatretiringatage55wasntinmycardseither.IdidntknowwhatIwasgoingtodo.Iwasntgoingtosithomeandtakeupsomehobby.IstillfeelnowasIdidthenthatIcanbeproductiveinanothereldsomewherehesaid.ThetimingcouldnthavebeenmoreperfectforBlaketoreceiveajobofferfromtheGNWTdepartmentofJusticetolladirectorpositioninchargeofcommunityjusticeandpolicing.WorkingwiththeRCMPBlakewilloverseeprogramsthatdealwithrestorativejusticedomesticviolencefetalalcoholspectrumdis-orderandvictimservicestonameafew.ItsajobforwhichBlakesaidhehasaconsiderablebackgroundandpassion.Thatdrivecomesfromabeliefthattheresnotalwaysanoutsidesolutionforharmpreventionhesaid.Therealsoneedstobeacommunitysolutionsothepassioncomesinhowtogetthecommunitiestoengageinmakingtheirowncommunitysafeandhav-inginput.IfyouhaveinputthenyouhaveownershipBlakesaid.WithhisnewhatBlakesaidhewillbepushingformorelocalinvolve-mentincommunityjus-ticeprogramsofferedbytheGNWT.DepartmentpleasedwithnewrecruitJusticeministerDavidRamsaysaidheislookingforwardtohavingBlakeonboard.WereveryexcitedthatweregettingafellowwiththattypeofexperienceintothedepartmentofJustice.Ithinkitsagreatcatchforusandwerehappytohavehimhesaid.ThefactthathesstayingintheNorthisgoodtoo.Thatsagoodsign.Ramsaysaidthedepart-menthashadalong-stand-ingfocusondiversion-keepingpeopleoutofthemaincourtsystem-andhebelievesWadesexperi-encewillbeahugehelpinbringingnewstrategiestothetable.WereveryexcitedthatweregettingafellowwiththattypeofexperienceintothedepartmentofJustice.Ithinkitsagreatcatchforusandwerehappytohavehim.MinisterDavidRamsayDepartmentofJusticePhotoRoyalCanadianMountedPoliceWadeBlakeChiefSupt.ofRCMPGDivisionisofciallyretiringonApr.30.ByMARIACHURCHSixNWTresidentshadtheirbraveryinthefaceofhazardoussituationshon-ouredinOttawalastweekataceremonyconductedbyGovernorGeneralDavidJohnstontoawardDecora-tionsofBravery.TheGovernorGeneralgaveout42MedalsofBrav-eryandoneStarofCour-ageattheceremonyheldatRideauHalllastThursday.ThreeNWTRCMPoffi-cersandthreeresidentsoftheterritorywereawardedwithmedals.ForfouroftheNWTre-cipientsthatbraverywasrecognizedinconnectiontoahousereinInuvikinOctoberof2011.TheincidentoccurredearlyinthemorningwhenLarryAngasukJr.fromInuvikandTeddyOmil-goitukfromFortMcPher-son15and11respectivelyatthetimerushedintotheNWTresidentsRCMPofcersreceivebraveryawardsNorthernersMedalRecipientsamestorescuetwochil-drentrappedintheburninghouse.WhileAngasukJr.wasabletobringonechildtosafetyOmilgoitukwasoverwhelmedwithsmoketryingtoreachhislittlesisterupstairs.RCMPconstablesAndrewAucoinandToddGlemserwerequicklyonsiteandclamouredintotheaminghouseforthechild.WhiletheywereabletobringheroutsidethelittlegirllaterdiedintheInuvikRegionalHospital.ThetwoofcersandbothboyswereeachawardedaMedalofBraveryfortheiractionsduringtheincident.Cpl.ScottYoungwasthethirdRCMPofficertore-ceiveamedalintheterri-tory.In2010YoungswamintothenumbingwatersoftheSlaveRiversRapidsoftheDrownedoutsideofFortSmithtorescuea23year-oldsuicidalwoman.LutselKeresidentShel-donCatholiquewasthefinalrecipientofabrav-erymedal.Catholiquewashonouredforhisactionsin2011afterthesmallpas-sengerplanehewasoncrashedoutsideofhishomecommunity.Catholiquethoughsufferingfromin-jurieshimselfbroughtabadlyinjuredfellowpas-sengertoasafedistanceandcaredforherwhilehelpwasonitsway.GNWTcongratulatesRCMPofcersMinisterofJusticeDavidRamsaycongratulatedthethreeRCMPofficersontheirMedalsofBraverylastweekcallingtheirac-tionsselflessdeedsthatputthelivesofothersbeforetheirown.TheseneRCMPof-cersthroughtheircoura-geousactionshavedemon-stratedtheircommitmenttothepeopletheyserveinourcommunities.Wearegrate-fulandveryproudtohavethemstationedhereintheNorthwestTerritorieshesaidinapressrelease.OnbehalfofeachpersoninInuvikFortSmithandallourcommunitieswhoselivesyourfearlessactionshavetouchedpleaseacceptourheartfeltthanksRam-saysaid.Wecongratulateeachofyoutodayonyourwell-deservedhonourandrecognition.OutgoingNWTChiefSupt.oftheRCMPWadeBlakesaidtheofficersbraveryisamodelforthemall.HesaidheremembersgettinggoosebumpswhenthebriefingscameinforbothincidentsthatinvolvedRCMPofficers.Thosethingscouldhavebeenwaymoretragicthantheyturnedouttobebutourmembers-andtheycontinuetobethisway-aretheonesthatarerun-ningalwaystowardsthedangerwithoutconsid-erationforthemselvestosavesomebodyelseortopreventmoredamageorinjuriesfromoccurringBlakesaid.Thosethingscouldhavebeenwaymoretragicthantheyturnedouttobebutourmembers-andtheycontinuetobethisway-aretheonesthatarerunningalwaystowardsthedangerwithoutconsiderationforthemselvestosavesomebodyelseortopreventmoredamageorinjuriesfromoccurring.ChiefSupt.outgoingWadeBlakeRCMPGDivision