The eagle feather will now be available as an option to swear on legal oaths at the Peace Regional RCMP Detachment. The Eagle Feather Protocol is part of the RCMP’s commitment to create more inclusiveness in the justice system for Indigenous people.
The eagle feather will be used the same way as the Bible or affirmation is currently used when someone provides a sworn statement to the RCMP. It will be an option for victims, witnesses, suspects and police officers.
Corporal Courtney Tipton says Aboriginal policing has provided 66 eagle feathers to detachments across the province to date. “We had to have the eagle feather beaded, which we did by our Aboriginal Interagency members and we also had to get it blessed by an elder.” Tipton says if someone were to drop the feather or handle it under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol it needs to get blessed again by an elder to cleanse it.
Tipton says it’s a fairly new thing to have in detachments in the province. ” Lots of people I’ve spoke with about it are hoping it maybe even cut down on crime because they respect it so much.” Tipton says the detachment is excited to have the Eagle Feather Protocol as an option to be able to connect more with the Aboriginal people the Peace Regional RCMP polices.
Peace Regional Victim Services played a role in making the eagle feather available along with Aboriginal Interagency Committee members, Wendy Goulet and Naomi Chalifoux-Sawan beading the eagle feather. Anyone who attends the Peace Regional RCMP Detachment and requests to use the eagle feather will now be able to do so.
L to R- Wendy Goulet, Naomi Chalifoux-Sawan, Corporal Courtney Tipton, Corporal Michelle Phillips
-Erika Rolling, Trending 55 Newsroom
