Latest news with #LowerPost
CBC
21-05-2025
- CBC
Community lockdown and patrols to continue in Lower Post, B.C.
A new lockdown protocol in Lower Post, B.C., that's aimed at reducing violence and keeping drug dealers out of the community will continue, residents heard at a community meeting on Tuesday. Since last week, the small northern B.C. community has had roaming officers patrolling from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., on the lookout for anyone who neither lives or works there. That measure came from the Daylu Dena Council, which announced only residents of Lower Post would be permitted in the community, and residents who host known drug dealers or violent individuals would risk losing their tenancy. "Anyone that is not from the community, we are asking them to leave. And if they aren't, we contact the police. We did that once already," said Pamela Moon, a community member helping out with the nightly patrols. "We want to keep the drug dealers out of the community because they have been causing havoc here in the last few weeks, pulling guns on people — that happened — going to other people's homes, causing disturbances." Moon says they're on the lookout for people who should not be in the community and they're also watching what community members are doing. "We're taking down reports about any vehicle moving within the community, and anybody partying — that's getting written down," Moon said. Moon says she's determined to keep fighting to keep her community safe. She says she recently lost her 21-year-old granddaughter to drugs. "It's devastating," she said. Moon says she's heard different reactions to the community lockdown and patrols. "Some people are happy that we're doing this. They stop us, tell us we're doing a good job and that. And then we have others that are complaining to other community members who tell us what they say, like, 'why are they driving around my house so often?'" Moon said. "We're keeping an eye on you because you are suspected of selling drugs in this community and we want you to know we're watching you. We drive right into their yard and we take down their licence plates and everything." 'People are being isolated' Around 30 residents showed up to Tuesday's community meeting. Two RCMP officers from the nearby Watson Lake, Yukon, detachment also attended. Some of the discussion focused on creating a long-term community policing program, and RCMP members also told the gathering they are working with support agencies in Yukon and B.C. to provide more resources to tackle the problems of addiction. Carla Kristin Boss lives in Lower Post and said she's generally happy with the community action. She cites the "numerous and countless heartaches that our people have been going through with this crisis." But Boss is also worried that the efforts could do more harm than good, by pointing fingers and stigmatizing certain people. "People are being isolated, and that's why people are not reaching out," she said.
CBC
16-05-2025
- CBC
Daylu Dena Council enacting proactive lockdown to keep drug dealers out of Lower Post, B.C.
Social Sharing Daylu Dena Council in Lower Post, B.C., is hoping a new lockdown protocol will help keep the community safe from a rise in violence and drug activity. As of Friday, the small northern B.C. community is hiring roaming officers to patrol from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to be on the lookout for anyone who neither lives or works there. The lockdown will be in place until further notice, the council said in a news release this week. The news release indicates that only residents of Lower Post are permitted in the community and residents who host known drug dealers or violent individuals risk losing their tenancy. Employees of Daylu Dena Council, Daylu Fuels, Iyon Kechika Contracting and Dena Kayeh Institute are also allowed in for work purposes. Spouses and family members of residents who do not live in Lower Post will need council approval to enter. Harlan Schilling, deputy chief of the Daylu Dena Council, said the decision is in response to a rise in drug activity across the country. "With these things comes violence and safety concerns," he said. "Our health and social team is just trying to be proactive and give the community support members reassurance that, you know, safety is number one for our community." Lower Post, B.C, is about 24 kilometres south of Watson Lake, Yukon, and is policed by the Watson Lake RCMP detachment. Schilling said they're working with the RCMP to report suspicious activity or unknown vehicles — a benefit of living in a community small enough for residents to know each other, he said. Schilling said they're not responding to a specific immediate threat, just being proactive about community safety. "It's more just showing these unwelcome individuals that, you know, it takes an active community to be healthy and that we're all standing united in this front to say, you know, it will not happen here in Lower Post." He said he's not sure how long the lockdown will last, but chief and council is looking for provincial, territorial and federal funding sources to try and keep the program going. "I hope this brings a little bit of inspiration to other communities across the North. It takes all of us to make a safe home."
