Will reduce domestic violence risk factors
M’CHIGEENG – The UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service is pleased to announce an exciting new project, Lighting the Fire Within. The project is funded through Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada and is the first of its kind to be delivered by any police service in Canada.
“It is a great complement to the already successful Social Navigator Program, another pilot project that was successfully delivered by the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service,” said UCCM Chief of Police Faron Whiteye. “The Social Navigator Program is now a permanent program within the organization and is recognized throughout all of Ontario.”
Lighting the Fire Within (LTFW) is designed to reduce risk factors associated with domestic violence and facilitate the creation of safer, stronger and healthier First Nation communities. LTFW is a four-year project that will allow the police service to meet three-goals: provide training to the employees of the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service that is focused on creating a trauma and culturally responsive approach to victims of domestic violence; deliver a culturally responsive pre-charge diversion program to individuals who are perpetrators of non-criminal code domestic disputes; and create an interest-based program for youth to develop and foster a relationship of trust with the police and to promote healthy relationships.
The three goals were developed to further improve the trust between the community and the police, reduce violence against Indigenous women and assist in providing support to offenders through a pre-charge diversion program with our partner organizations.
With the announcement of this project, the police service is recruiting for a new employee to lead the initiatives of the project and to work with an external evaluator to assess the success of the project. The LTFW co-ordinator will assist the police service in meeting the project objectives identified in the project implementation plan.
In addition to the recruiting for this new position, the police service is also recruiting for members of an advisory committee. The LTFW Advisory Committee will provide feedback regarding the development of program objectives, which are created to meet the project goals. The feedback of the advisory committee is key to the success and effectiveness of the project.
“LTFW is an important project within our service, and we appreciate the confidence that WAGE has in our capacity to meet the project’s goals,” Police Chief Whiteye concluded.
