Indigenous Relations Team

The Indigenous community is important to our local landscape and national identity. Calgary is located in Treaty 7, the traditional territory of the Blackfoot people. Cultural and traditional customs and practices remain strong and a part of everyday living. The communities in Calgary include First Nations, Metis and Inuit.

Our leaders, in consultation with local Elders, recognize the need for a strategy to help our Service implement the recommendations of several important documents:

• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action
• The City of Calgary White Goose Flying Report
• The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

The overall strategy is under development, however, we have taken the following steps in the meantime:

Recognizing Calgary’s roots

We have included Indigenous ceremonial practices into our special occasions, in consultation with and under the supervision of local Elders. Smudges and Elder attendance are now part of every new recruit graduation and an honour song has been gifted to us to play at these ceremonies. Elders are also routinely invited to open formal events with a blessing.

Creating a sacred space

We have created a sacred space at our Westwinds Headquarters to allow for smudging before meetings or investigative interviews where it is appropriate. 

Participating in Indigenous Court:

Calgary Indigenous Court provides a culturally relevant, restorative, and holistic system of justice for Indigenous individuals, including offenders, victims and the community harmed by an offender’s actions.

The Indigenous Relations Team at the Calgary Police Service (CPS) aims to increase trust with the Indigenous community while maintaining and continuing to build a nation-to-nation relationship through focused policing services and actions.  

The Indigenous Relations Team works to improve communication and community relationships with all Indigenous peoples in Calgary. The team also works with several different organizations and programs to promote education and awareness towards current and long-standing concerns within the community.

As part of the Anti-Racism Strategic Roadmap, the Indigenous Relations Team is helping to strengthen Indigenous world view approaches to working areas across the CPS.

The CPS has launched Indigenous Education and Training, which is required for all our members to take. The training includes 16 modules that reflect the history of Indigenous people and the police, residential schools and the history with the RCMP, the Sixties Scoop, and why this still matters to law enforcement today.  

Through the Anti-Racism Strategic Roadmap, we have also invested in an Indigenous Navigator for the Missing Persons Team.