Sret du Qubec says it has no plans to immediately withdraw from Lac-Simon

The Sret du Qubec says it has no plans to immediately withdrawfrom Lac-Simon, an Algonquin reserve near Val-d'Or, despite concerns the community would soon be "abandoned" by the force.

SQ Capt. Guy Lapointe said Wednesday there is "no question of a unilateral withdrawal," adding that discussions are ongoing to eventually cede all police work to the local police force.

"We still believe that service by the Sret du Qubec is a temporary solution and that it is desirable that the Lac-Simon Police Service regain its autonomy," he said.

Earlier, the chief of theAnishnaabeNationofLac-Simontold Radio-Canada it was her understanding that theSQwould stop patrolling starting today.

"We feel like the Sret du Qubec has abandoned us," saidChief AdrienneJrme.

Union representative Marc Ranger had also told Radio-Canada the local Indigenous police force was preparing for an immediate withdrawal.

Like the SQ, Public Security Minister MartinCoiteuxdenied the report, saying the SQ's departure would be more gradual and part of a plannedattemptto restore more control to the localforce.

Heightened tensions

The SQ'seventual departure couldbe difficult for the community to handle, given a provincial mandate to have four police officers on patrol in the community of 1,450 at all times.

The local Indigenous police forceis often short staffed, especially after an officer,ThierryLeroux, was killedin February while responding to a domestic dispute.

Since then, SQ officers have been covering more shifts, particularly at night and on weekends. Tensions between the SQ and residents have been high since a provincial officer fatally shot a member of the community during an intervention in April.

Allegations that provincial police officers assaulted Indigenouswomen in nearby Val-d'Orfurtherstrained relations.

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Band loses confidence in SQ

On Monday, Jrmesaid the decision not to charge any of the officers accused of assault made some in Lac-Simon feel unsafe.

She said the band council had lost confidence in the SQ, and if the force couldn't guarantee it could keep people in the community safe, its officers shouldn't be there.

Jrmesaidpeople inLac-Simondeserve respect, safety and protection just like allQuebecers.

She said she will work with the province to come up with solutions.

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