Neighbours renew call for 24-hour security at Yellowknife's sobering, day centre

A neighbour of Yellowknife's downtown sobering and day centre is renewing her call for full-time security at the facility, after a man who was assaulted outside the centre died.

Mark Poodlat, 36, was attacked outside the centre on Sept.3. He was taken to Stanton Territorial Hospital before being medevaced to Edmonton, where he died two days later.

April Desjarlais owns the Finn Hansen building next to the centre. She said Poodlat's death shows that violence in the neighbourhood is only getting worse, an issue she and other neighbours brought to city council in April.

I've been shouting it at the top of my lungs ... saying something is going to happen.- April Desjarlais

"I've been shouting it at the top of my lungs ... saying something is going to happen," Desjarlais said.

"Something extremely tragic happened, and that family of that poor man has to live without him for something that was completely preventable."

For months, neighbours have been calling for 24-hour securityat the centre. She said she believes this could have prevented Poodlat's death.

Victor Ugyuk, 32, has been charged with murder following the incident. Court records show Ugyuk has a history of convictions for assault, assault with a weapon, and assault causing bodily harm. He has been found guilty of assault by N.W.T. courts twice in 2019, while some charges stem as far back as 2010.

• Accused in Yellowknife sobering centre beating faces murder charge after victim's death

• Man beaten outside Yellowknife's sobering centre dies, RCMP investigate homicide

Staff trained to use 'nonviolent strategies'

In an email to CBC, N.W.T. Health and Social Services Authority spokesperson Lisa Giovanetto stated, "We work closely with RCMP who have increased their presence in this area and respond promptly to calls."

Staff are trained to use "nonviolent strategies to defuse hostile situations," she wrote.

She added there are cameras in and outside the facility, medical staff are on site to respond to emergencies, and the centre hired two safety patrol positions in July. The officers patrol the neighbourhood from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Their job includes calling RCMP if needed, directing people back into the centre when outside, and to act as a contact for neighbours to voice any concerns.

Desjarlais claims those officers, "do everything in their power to avoid what's actually happening."

She alleges that on Friday, she called the patrol team three times to deal with a "party" of clients drinking outside her window, but they never came.

"There could be hours where we [neighbours] don't see anybody from their patrol group. Hours. They only have one section of a block to walk, where are they?"

'Culture of accommodation'

Desjarlais claims the territorial government is turning a "blind eye" to the realities of violence at the centre, and the security measures it hasput in place aren't working.

"Our government has created a culture of accommodation, a culture of accepting public intoxication, public drunkenness, public violence," she said.

"It's not going to get any better unless we have leaders who are going to step up."

Desjarlais has been working with other neighbours and the territorial government on a 'Good Neighbour Agreement,' a document laying out shared responsibilities around the centre.

A draft proposal of the document, created by the centre's neighbours, calls for the authority to hire a 24-hour security guard.

A counter-proposal from the authority, which Desjarlais provided to CBC, shows that stipulation was removed. A final draft of the agreement is expected to be delivered to neighbours this week.

The authority said while the investigation is ongoing,it couldnot comment on whether changes to the sobering centre's security are needed. Counselling is being offered to the centre's staff and clientsfollowing Poodlat's death.