NPS receives Québec award for exemplary investigative work
During the recent 27th annual meeting of Québec police chiefs (l’ Association des directeurs de police du Québec, ADPQ), the Nunavik Police Service (NPS) was among several policy agencies sharing an ADPQ award for outstanding investigative work.
Code named The Plutonium Project, the multi-jurisdictional task force involved the investigative resources of the NPS, Sûreté du Québec, Quebec Crown’s Major Case and Special Affairs Bureau, and the Régie intermunicipale de police Richelieu–Saint-Laurent. The focus was the take down of a major bootlegging and narcotics trafficking operation targeting Nunavik communities in northern Québec.
Nunavik has seen a sharp rise in the volume of illicit drugs and bootlegged alcohol streaming into the region’s 14 communities in recent years. Municipal leaders have repeatedly sounded the alarm on the impact that this activity is having on the health and well-being of their communities, especially among younger residents who make up the majority of Nunavik’s population.
The task force’s investigative work has resulted in a significant disruption of the flow of contraband and illicit drugs within Nunavik communities for a meaningful period of time. Investigative work involved appeals to the public for assistance and information on suspicious criminal behaviour. The NPS information address tips@nunavikpolice.ca was one platform that received vital information, and police efforts received widespread attention in Québec media.
“I would like to express my deep appreciation to the NPS investigations team for their dedication and impactful contribution to the important outcomes achieved by this multi-agency task force. This recognition is well earned. NPS officers provided valuable information and critical details that proved decisive in sourcing criminal activity that led to multiple criminal charges and convictions.” – Jean-François Bernier, Chief of Police, Nunavik Police Service
