In an effort to help its members with the prevalence of negative news recently, today nearly two dozen officers from the Port Alberni RCMP detachment underwent a traditional Nuu-chah-nulth cleansing ceremony.
The gathering began with words of encouragement towards the RCMP for the work they do in the Port Alberni community. The officers were brushed with cedar leaves, before walking through a ring of branches, followed by being brushed again with eagle feathers. Teechuktl’s resolution health support worker Lisa Watts reminded the police offers to be present and aware during the process, while giving acknowledgement to their creator.
Corp. Jay Donahue of the detachment’s Indigenous Policing Services team said that the request for a brushing was made to Teechuktl as a continuation of the local RCMP’s ongoing partnership with the Nuu-chah-nulth mental health services department.
