Recently appointed to the rank of Chief Superintendent, Dyson Smith is the latest commanding officer of the RCMP in the Northwest Territories. In his 24 years of policing, he has served in Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario as well as Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. He has previously held numerous leadership roles in the NWT including Officer in Charge of North District, Officer in Charge of Yellowknife, Assistant Criminal Operations Officer, and most recently Officer in Charge of Criminal Operations.
"I am honoured to have been selected as the Commanding Officer of the Northwest Territories RCMP. Policing in the North has been the most rewarding experience of my career. I consider myself very fortunate to have the opportunity to experience first-hand, not only the majesty of our vast territory, but the privilege of meeting such honourable and caring people," said Chief Superintendent Smith.
Having served nearly half of his career in the North, he is acutely aware of and committed to addressing issues that matter to Northerners. "In recent years we have seen an increase in drug related crime, orchestrated by crime groups from the south. The negative impact being faced by all of our communities is something that must be addressed. I am committed to working collaboratively with all of our communities and various levels of government to combat this issue." Last year, he oversaw the implementation of a new drug strategy for the territory. This year, as the Commanding Officer, he is rolling out a new Territorial Crime Reduction Unit with support from the Government of the Northwest Territories.
As a person of Indigenous heritage, Chief Superintendent Smith places reconciliation high on his list of priorities. "Building relationships, and strengthening old ones, is something that has always been important to me. I believe that being open and honest is the only way to make progress. We don't always have to agree, but we must listen to each other and at least accept each others' position."
Further to this, Chief Superintendent Smith has set a goal to improve the general public's overall understanding of police operations. "Policing should not be a mysterious thing that is hidden behind a veil. It is my goal to ensure greater transparency and openness. Keeping in mind that there will always be certain things that we cannot openly discuss, I want to pull back the curtain and help everyone understand policing and why things are done a certain way. I want the people of the Northwest Territories to have confidence in their police force."
Chief Superintendent Smith knows there is much work to do as he steps into his new role, but he is right where he wants to be. "Every single RCMP employee in the Northwest Territories, police officer or civilian, is here because they have chosen to be here. No employee can be forced to transfer here. I appreciate every single one of them, and it is my hope that their commitment is appreciated by their communities as well. I too am here because I choose to be here, and believe in the work we are doing."