File Hills First Nation police plans to expand services

File Hills First Nations Police Service (FHFNPS) is planning to expand its services into three Indigenous communities near Regina. (Sierra D'Souza Butts/CTV News)

File Hills First Nations Police Service (FHFNPS) is planning to expand its services into three Indigenous communities near Regina.

The First Nations policing service currently serves five communities: Okanese First Nation, Peepeekisis Cree Nation, Carry the Kettle Nakoda First Nation, Star Blanket Cree Nation, and Little Black Bear Band.

Now it’s looking to expand further south into Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation, Pasqua First Nation, and Piapot First Nation.

“It means bringing our Indigenous men and women into the Treaty 4 policing model, allowing role models, heroes and warriors to be part of their own nations to be police officers and protectors to our youth,” said Chief of Police Dean Lerat of FHFNPS.

The announcement comes after all chiefs of the three First Nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help improve the safety and well-being of Indigenous people and youth. One of the goals a part of the agreement is to create a police service between the three communities.

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“Being the only Indigenous standalone service in southern Saskatchewan, or in Saskatchewan in general, it certainly is an opportunity to have our police service come and work in these communities,” Lerat explained.

“To be part of the nation’s fabric of mentoring young Indigenous men and women in these communities to part of our police service and be role models in the community.”

With being a First Nations police service, Lerat added that the focus is to maintain a “level of policing that is culturally sensitive to First Nations values.”

Currently the police service has 23 members – 12 officers, six special constables and five administration staff.

Through federal and provincial funding, Lerat said nine more police officers are expected to be hired by the end of this fiscal year.

Before becoming chief of police in October of 2025, Lerat was a former staff sergeant with Saskatchewan RCMP where he did Indigenous policing and recruiting.

“I’ve been a commander in charge of various detachments across Canada. I looked at this opportunity to come and bring my experience and build what we have which is our own people,” Lerat expressed. “Bringing opportunities to our nations in Treaty 4 to have that ability to have their own people policing them, and to me, that’s the greatest.

“The opportunity to grow this police service.”

Fills Hills police said it’s currently hiring officers with experience as well as young Indigenous adults who attend Saskatchewan Police College.

More information about the service is on their website.