The RCMP have increased the length of officers’ postings to Iqaluit.

At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Staff Sgt. Roger Tournier said new police officers coming to the city will remain for three years. Previously the stay was two years.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Roger Tournier says the Iqaluit detachment responded to about 8,500 calls for service in 2011, about 550 more than the year before. (CBC)

"Iqaluit is a sought-after position,” he said. “There's a waiting list of people waiting to come here so it's never hard to get people to come here."

About 15 RCMP officers posted in Iqaluit will have all left by the spring. Tournier said officers can extend their stay if they choose.

Tournier also gave councillors a snapshot of crime in the capital in 2011.

He said police responded to about 8,500 calls for service last year, about 550 more than the year before. He attributes the change to a growing population and a quicker and faster way to do criminal record checks, which count as calls for service. The RCMP did about 300 more criminal record checks in 2011 than in 2010.

Overall, about 450 fewer people were taken into custody.

Tournier said a lot of the crime in the city is caused by drugs and booze. "If we can stop that stuff from coming into Iqaluit, it really helps us out,” he said. “Our numbers really tend to go down shortly after a major seizure is made."

He also told councillors police are looking forward to the report from the Liquor Task Force to the Government of Nunavut. He said he hopes there will be positive changes allowing for better control of alcohol in the community.