A few days before turning 19, Johnny Saunders realized his childhood aspiration of joining the police force, though the reality didn’t align with his expectations. Recalling his entry into the Nunavik Regional Police, previously known as the Kativik Regional Police Force, Saunders was presented with a new uniform and the keys to a vehicle.
He reminisced that despite their idealistic aspirations, the group of Inuit officers recruited and trained in their local communities in the early 2000s faced challenges. After two and a half years, at the age of 21, Saunders found himself struggling, taking multiple stress leaves and turning to heavy drinking for solace. Feeling like an outsider in Nunavik, an Inuit territory in northern Quebec, further compounded his difficulties.
The emotional toll of policing hit home when Saunders had to arrest his cousin for a minor offense, a decision he still regrets. This internal conflict led him to leave his job, a sentiment shared by others in similar positions. There has been a decline in the number of local police officers, with more non-Indigenous officers rotating through Nunavik, resulting in a lack of understanding of the community they serve.
This shift has eroded trust and led to an increase in violent interventions, with Nunavik police officers involved in a significantly higher number of fatal shootings compared to the provincial average. Recent protests in Nunavik communities denounced police brutality, fueled by ongoing concerns following the fatal shooting of Joshua Papigatuk and the injury of his twin brother.
The dwindling presence of Inuit officers in the region, from eight in 2005 to only three out of 151 in 2025, has raised calls for increased Inuit recruitment and a focus on community policing models. Former officers have highlighted the lack of support for Inuit officers, the challenges of long-term community work, and the enduring trauma faced by many who served in the force.
Recognizing the need for reform, the Kativik Regional Government passed a resolution for an audit of the Nunavik Police Service to enhance cultural alignment and operational effectiveness. Chief Jean-Pierre Larose has expressed support for the review and emphasized the importance of building trust and community engagement.
Efforts to address concerns include mandatory cultural training for police officers and calls to disarm officers in the field, advocating for non-lethal alternatives. The push for police reform and improved community relations comes amidst ongoing tensions and calls for justice from affected families and advocates.