Policing in Relation to the Blood Tribe – Report of a Public Inquiry : Vol. 1 Findings and Recommendations

This book contains the first half of a two-volume inquiry by Assistant Chief Judge C. H. Rolf (Provincial Court of Alberta) following the murder of an Indigenous individual from Alberta’s Blood Tribe reserve in 1988 that sparked concern over policing practices. Rolf reviews the sudden deaths of 20 Blood Tribe individuals between 1976 and 1988 (13 deaths covered in depth), noting police involvement and investigation in each case. Rolf also examines a 1980 confrontation between Blood Tribe members and RCMP officers at Cardston as a catalyst for growing distrust of police amongst the Blood Tribe. Finally, the inquiry reviews cultural and political factors affecting policing services and First Nations self-governance initiatives in Alberta. The volume concludes with Rolf’s recommendations (absolving the police of major misconduct but advocating for cross-cultural training) and appendices containing information about the inquiry’s public hearings.