Mini Mountie program connects kids with police officers in Inuvik

Inuvik police are connecting with children in their community thanks to a new initiative called the Mini Mountie program, which isbringing officers into the local school.

Const. Stephanie Leduc created the program while working with the RCMP in Albertaand brought the idea with her when she relocated to the N.W.T.

"The ultimate goal is to increase the relationship between students and the police," she said.

"It is really important in our job that kids know that they can come to the police, that the police are a safe place for them to go to."

The Mini Mountie programstarted in Inuvik last year, and targets students from junior kindergarten to Grade 6.

Officers try to visit East Three Elementary School at least once a week. They readto students, have lunch with them, and hold events like bike rodeos and visits from Santa.

Every six weeks, the Mini Mounties tackle a new topic. When school starts in September, they'll talk about bullying.

Leduc said theprogram helps kids feel more comfortable around police officers.

"We do go to calls where these children are involved in domestic violence, in violence in general, and when we go there we want them to feel safe," she said.

"It's a scary situation when something's going on in your home, like violence, and the police show up. So having that already-built connection ... is something that they can look back to in those really scary times."

Leduc remembers when sheresponded to a domestic violence call at a home in Alberta. When she arrived at the scene, shesaw a photo of a little girl on the fridge that she recognized from the Mini Mountie program.

The ultimate goal is to increase the relationship between students and the police.- Const. Stephanie Leduc

When she went to go check on her, the girl's first response was to ask Leduc if she was there to play Barbies. For Leduc, that was a huge success.

"Us being there wasn't about mom and dad getting in this very physical fight," she said. "It was, 'Oh, Const.Leduc is here to play Barbies.'"

In Inuvik, Leduc said she's recognized by kids, thanks to the program. She added that older students feel comfortable talking to officers because of the relationships it's helped build.

Now heading into its second year, the program is starting to expand across the North.

It ran for one month in Fort Good Hope last school year and will continue there this fall. Leduc says Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk and Paulatuk are also looking to bring the Mini Mountie program to their schools.