The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) has a new deputy chief.
In a zoom media conference Thursday morning Farica Prince was officially introduced, she will
assume the position next month.
Prince, who before accepting the position in P.A., was an Inspector with the Blood Tribe Police Service in Alberta, said she is excited about starting the job.
“Prince Albert Police Service is recognized as a progressive organization that has committed to community collaboration and is well known for the work that they’ve have been doing with community wellness and safety,” she said.
Before working for the Blood Tribal Police Service, Prince worked with the Dakota Ojibway Police Service in her home community of Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in Manitoba.
In her role as deputy chief Prince will be working in a range of areas. This includes overseeing the police service’s strategic plan, which the service is in the process of reviewing.
Neighborhood policing as well as overseeing the implementation of many policies is also part of the job along with being a community liaison.
“I am motivated to do a specific kind of work right now and it’s exactly the work that PAPS is looking for in their deputy chief,” said Prince.
The deputy chief position has been vacant since Jason Stonechild retired last December. When Stonechild retired the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) put out a statement and Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said he was disappointed to see Stonechild go.
PAPS Chief Jon Bergen explained as the police service went through the process of finding a new deputy chief they made sure to speak with Indigenous organizations about the process.
“There was consultations with the Prince Albert Grand Council, that did include Grand Chief Brain Hardlotte and others, there was a reach for consultations with Metis Nation-Saskatchewan,” he said.
Bergen said the service is always looking to reflect the community that it is serving. He explained initiatives like the one they have with the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan to try to recruit more Indigenous people into the force are an important part of that.
Bergen added they believe it is important to have the community reflected in all parts of the service.
“It is important to have diverse representation through the entire organization and absolutely that includes the administrative ranks,” he said.
(Farica Prince, photo courtesy of Prince Albert Police Service Twitter)