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When members of the northern Saskatchewan community of Little Pine First Nation call 911, it can take police hours — sometimes even a whole day — to respond.

“It’s always slow. Sometimes we’ll have issues and they’ll come up the next day and that’s not right. Nobody would be happy with a service like that,” said Little Pine Chief Wayne Semaganis.

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“It’s like, as long as it happens on the reserve, it shouldn’t bother anybody. But it bothers us.”

Little Pine is policed by the RCMP, who are headquartered 20 kilometres to the south in the Town of Cut Knife. As is the case in most rural areas in the province, police response time is a challenge.

Semaganis said he is tired of the status quo and wants a change. He’s spent more than two years working with band members and members of the neighbouring Poundmaker First Nation to explore the possibility of the two First Nations launching a joint First Nations police service that would oversee both communities and, in theory, respond to calls more quickly.