Youth Safety Leadership: Port Saunders RCMP and Port au Choix Student Join National RCMP Workshop

Section 1: Community Safety Overview

A Grade 10 student from Port au Choix, accompanied by a Port Saunders RCMP officer, has taken part in the RCMP National Youth Leadership Workshop in Regina, Saskatchewan. The national program gathers 13 Indigenous youth from across Canada to support them as emerging leaders focused on crime prevention, victimization awareness, and safer communities.

The workshop ran from March 9–15, 2026, at Depot, the RCMP’s training facility in Regina. During this time, student Landon Gaslard and mentor Constable (Cst.) Braden Clarke represented their communities on the Northern Peninsula, taking part in police-style training, leadership sessions, and the development of a targeted community safety plan for youth.

Section 2: Official Details from RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador

According to the official release from RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador, the following key details describe the initiative and local safety impact:

• Participants: Grade 10 student Landon Gaslard from Port au Choix, accompanied by Cst. Braden Clarke of the Port Saunders RCMP Detachment.
• Event: RCMP National Youth Leadership Workshop, focused on Indigenous youth leadership, crime prevention, and community safety.
• Location: Depot, the RCMP training academy in Regina, Saskatchewan.
• Dates: March 9–15, 2026.
• Activities at Depot:
  • Participation in drill class, mirroring aspects of regular RCMP cadet training.
  • Completion of the official Police Fitness Assessment.
  • Classroom-based learning on leadership, policing, and issues affecting youth safety.
  • Exposure to daily routines experienced by RCMP cadets in training.
• Community Action Plan Requirement: Each youth participant was tasked with creating a Community Action Plan to address a specific youth crime or victimization concern in their home community.
• Identified Local Concern: Landon focused on the risks associated with youth isolation, including potential mental health challenges and negative social and health outcomes when young people lack safe, structured opportunities to play and connect.
• Safety Initiative Developed: Landon designed the “Let’s Play Program”, aimed at:
  • Organizing accessible sports such as ball hockey, volleyball, and basketball.
  • Hosting friendly tournaments and events to encourage youth to gather in positive, supervised environments.
  • Supporting better physical and mental health outcomes for young people.
  • Improving communication skills, teamwork, and social connections among youth.
• Local Implementation: Back on the Northern Peninsula, Landon and Cst. Clarke will collaborate to put the Let’s Play Program into action in their community, adding to ongoing efforts to reduce risk factors linked to youth crime and victimization.
• Future Plans: The Port au Choix teen is considering a future career in law enforcement with the RCMP, further strengthening community-police connections.
• Program Background: The RCMP has organized Youth Leadership Workshops since 2011, with goals that include:
  • Developing leadership skills in young Canadians.
  • Giving youth tools to make meaningful safety improvements in their communities.
  • Building positive, trust-based relationships between young people and police.
  • Raising awareness of youth crime, victimization, and prevention strategies.

For readers who want to understand local risk factors and trends, you can review Port au Choix crime statistics and safety data or explore broader patterns in nearby communities such as Port Saunders crime and safety trends to see how youth-focused programs can support long-term crime reduction and community well-being.

Section 3: CrimeCanada.ca Safety Perspective

From the perspective of CrimeCanada.ca, initiatives like the RCMP National Youth Leadership Workshop are critical to long-term safety in Newfoundland and Labrador. While this is not an emergency incident or a call for public assistance, it directly targets known drivers of youth risk—such as isolation, lack of safe recreation space, and limited connection with trusted adults. Structured programs like the Let’s Play Program can reduce opportunities for youth to become involved in crime, substance misuse, or unsafe peer activities by offering positive, supervised alternatives.

For families and community leaders, practical steps to support youth safety include ensuring access to safe play spaces, encouraging participation in organized sports or community groups, and maintaining open communication with young people about mental health and peer pressure. When residents, local schools, and police detachments work together—as seen with the partnership between Port au Choix youth and the Port Saunders RCMP—communities are better positioned to prevent victimization and create safer, more connected neighbourhoods on the Northern Peninsula and across the province.

Official Source & Community Safety

This safety alert is based on an official release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). CrimeCanada.ca aggregates and analyzes this data to keep the newfoundland-and-labrador community informed, aware, and safe. We are an independent safety data aggregator and not the original creators of the underlying incident report.

Read the full official release here: RCMP Official Statement.