History of the Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Service
The Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police Service (STPS), established December 1, 1999, evolved from a security program implemented by the Lillooet Band Council in 1986. Under this program, security personnel patrolled reserve areas, engaged in preventive work, and reported criminal activity to the RCMP as appropriate.
In 1988, the Lillooet Tribal Council expanded the concept by creating a peacekeeping program for the Lillooet Tribe. Eight peacekeepers were assigned to the Stl'atl'imx Nation communities of T’it’q’et, Chalath and Lil’wat.
In 1992, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between seven Stl'atl'imx Nation communities, the Solicitor General of Canada and the Attorney General of the province of British Columbia, which established the peacekeeping program as a tribal policing pilot project.
The Memorandum of Understanding included a Protocol Agreement with the RCMP which, as the provincial police force, retained jurisdictional authority in the participating communities. The pilot project was funded by the federal and provincial governments.
Over the next few years, modifications were made to the initial Memorandum of Understanding, including the signing of additional Stl'atl'imx Nation communities.
In 1999, the STPS was established as a designated policing unit and police force, with full jurisdictional authority under the Police Act (s. 4.1 – 4.2). A five-year Tri-partite Agreement was signed between the ten participating Stl'atl'imx Nation communities, and the federal and provincial governments. The STPS – RCMP Protocol Agreement was amended to reflect the increased role of the STPS.
The STPS continues to provide policing services in the ten participating Stl'atl'imx Nation communities.