'This day has been a long time coming': New chief for Blood Tribe Police Service sworn-in

Iron Shirt brings 19 years of experience to the top job having served with the File Hills First Nations Police Service in Saskatchewan and as a detachment commander for the Manitoba First Nations Police Service. Photo courtesy: Blood Tribe Police Service

LETHBRIDGE -

A new police chief for the Blood Tribe Police Service has been officially sworn in and the new hire is no stranger to the Blood Tribe.

“This day has been a long time coming. I'm just eager to start,” said Chief Brice Iron Shirt.

For the first time in two decades a Blood Tribe member is leading the police service. Iron Shirt grew up on the Blood Tribe and said he has always been a proud member.

“Having all of those connections and having a very big family here, I believe that is going to help me with them being more open towards my ideas and development of the service,” said Iron Shirt during a swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.

Iron Shirt brings 19 years of experience to the top job having served with the File Hills First Nations Police Service in Saskatchewan and as a detachment commander for the Manitoba First Nations Police Service.

“It’s good to be home - it’s really cold up there,” said Iron Shirt with a chuckle when reflecting on his time in northern Manitoba.

The Blood Tribe Police Service is the oldest First Nations Police Service in Canada and 2022 marks 31 years of operation.

Former interim Chief Grant Buckskin said the on-going opioid crisis will be a priority for the new chief.

“Despite the global pandemic going on, we still have that epidemic to deal with as well. That's one of the bigger things we're dealing with,” said Sgt. Buckskin.

Along with the drug crisis, the Blood Tribe Police Commission hopes Iron Shirt will bring new recruiting strategies, leadership and community engagement with their members.

“I think that our young people will be very, very proud to see him and I think he'll be a motivation for our young people - being from this community born and raised,” said William Wadsworth, chair of the police commission.

“Personally, I’ve seen officers, leaders in our community and when I was a young fellow, I looked up to them and saw that if they can do it and be successful in that kind of way, then I could be successful,” said Wadsworth when talking about Iron Shirt growing up on the Blood Tribe.

PERFECT CANDIDATE

Wadsworth said Iron Shirt was the perfect candidate for the role.

“He’s very connected to our community, everybody knows him. His involvement with our ceremony and society ways is very important to this community and he’s a strong proponent for Blackfoot language and culture,” explained Wadsworth.

Iron Shirt has been working with Athabasca University to create an Indigenous policing degree program, something he hopes to expand here. He says recruiting more officers is a top priority to start.

“I developed a cadet program and I helped many of my cadets go to college for policing so I wish to get that going again as well,” Iron Shirt told CTV News.

Representatives from the Lethbridge Police Service, Taber Police Service and Blood Tribe Police Service, along with Blood Tribe representatives and family gathered for a small swearing-in ceremony at the multi-purpose building in Standoff on Tuesday.

Iron Shirt will lead a team of 34 officers.

Representatives from the Lethbridge Police Service, Taber Police Service and Blood Tribe Police Service, along with Blood Tribe representatives and family gathered for a small swearing-in ceremony at the multi-purpose building in Standoff on Tuesday.

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Iron Shirt was transferred a headdress by the Blood Tribe's first Police Chief, Wilton Good Striker, on Christmas Day.