Edmonton Police Service Hosts 10th Oskayak Police Academy

The Oskayak Police Academy inside the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society (Photo Credits - Daniel Barker-Tremblay)

The Edmonton Police Service’s Oskayak (Cree for Youth) Police Academy at the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society celebrates 10 years of creating relationships between the EPS and Indigenous youth and communities.

Christie Pace, Indigenous Relations Advisor with the Edmonton Police Service reflects on the past 10 years of the program, and says that EPS looks towards the future to provide more ways for Indigenous youth to learn about policing and Indigenous culture.

Christie Pace, Indigenous Relations Advisor with the Edmonton Police Service all smiles at the 10th Annual Oskayak Police Academy at Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society (Photo Credits – Daniel Barker-Tremblay)

Pace adds that the Oskayak Police Academy is the highlight of her entire career, with her previous work with Bent Arrow, she goes on to say that the work the EPS is doing with connecting with Indigenous youth and receiving comments from participants of wanting to return for the following year is a reminder to EPS that steps are taken in the right direction going forward.

EPS Officer painting with a youth participant in the Oskayak Police Academy at Bent Arrow (Photo Credits – Daniel Barker-Tremblay)

Pace is hopeful that the participating youth within the Oskayak Police Academy will walk away feeling more connected with the police officers with building relationships and breaking down barriers and fear within Indigenous youth and the community.

Oskayak Police Academy Youth Participant Maria Makinow says she’s enjoying the two week program and looks to return in next year’s Academy.

Maria Makinow and EPS Dectective Nicole Lougheed painting at the Oskayak Police Academy (Photo Credits – Daniel Barker-Tremblay)

EPS Detective Nicole Lougheed says the 10 years of the Oskayak Police Academy speaks resiliency of the program and the commitment that the EPS has towards Indigenous youth with supporting the initiative of the program.