Fifteen eagle feathers were blessed in a traditional Blackfoot ceremony Tuesday before being distributed to all Calgary Police Service (CPS) facilities to add to the religious and cultural options used for swearing-in ceremonies and the swearing of oaths.
“We really want to be representative of all of the communities that we serve,” said Regimental Major Jason Hiscock. “And we want to represent our own officers as well because we have officers from each of these communities.”
The feathers, gifted from the Kainai Nation and beaded by Indigenous artists, can be used for swearing-in ceremonies for new recruits, as well as the swearing of oaths for affidavits, statements, and other legal documents.
They will be kept in cedar boxes made by Metis artist Bob Davis, lined with uniform material and adorned with the Blackfoot symbol for the Calgary Police Service.
CPS says the blessing ceremony is an honour, and the inclusion of feathers in its processes is a step on the path towards reconciliation.
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“It really is a view into a way of life that allows you to pen up your perspectives and see things in a different way,” said Hiscock. “You can’t just do a good thing once and then, ‘great, you’re done’. You have to continually make efforts to engage with the community.”
Advocates say including the feathers is a good thing to do for symbolic reasons, but it doesn’t address the deep-rooted issues between police and their people.
“I don’t want to ever undervalue the meaning from our own elders doing that work in their own territory so that’s always good to do, but there has to be meaningful systemic changes,” said Michelle Robinson, an Indigenous advocate.
Robinson has been outspoken since the death of Jon Wells, an Indigenous man who died while in CPS custody in September 2024. Well’s family is still waiting to find out if the officers involved will face criminal charges, and Robinson says their community deserves a voice in that decisions.
“The 94 calls to action, and the 231 calls to justice, have shown we need an independent Indigenous group overseeing these things,” said Robinson. “And there’s never been any attempt at that sort of work.”
Robinson says until there are significant policy changes within police forces across the country addressing systemic racism, harassment and accountability, the inclusion of cultural symbols like eagle feathers will do little to improve the relationship.
But it is the hope of the Calgary Police Service that the feathers can be a sign of its commitment to continue moving forward together.
“Like any relationship, there’s good days and there’s bad days,” said Hiscock. “I think as long as we’re moving forward and continuing to keep our eye on the goal of working with the community… I think we’re on a good path.”
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