It’s been a busy first week for the Whitehorse RCMP’s new detachment commander.

Insp. Keith MacKinnon began his duties Sept. 18, and said he has already been actively involved in the role.

“I’ve been very engaged in all of the events that have unfolded here,” he told the Star Tuesday.

“There’s always calls coming in and new challenges.”

Chiefly, a drive-by shooting on the Alaska highway near Porter Creek last Wednesday evening ended in the death of a young B.C. man whose name police have not released. It’s the Yukon’s seventh homicide this year.

The investigations in each case are “well at hand,” MacKinnon said.

The RCMP are “leveraging all available resources to getting them moved along,” he said.

He explained the role of the detachment commander is primarily administrative and operational, and includes reviewing investigations.

MacKinnon said his top priority in the position is community safety.

“I want to continue with the great work that’s been done in enhancing community safety,” he said.

This includes traffic initiatives. MacKinnon also plans on being “heavily involved” in the women’s coalition and Together for Safety protocol. He also identified street-level drug enforcement as a main goal.

“We want to make sure the drug issues are being met and tackled.”

And MacKinnon hopes to reduce property crime.

This includes theft, mischief, and breaking and entering violations.

There were 3,459 property crime violations in the Yukon last year, accounting for almost 38 per cent of all violations in the territory.

As the new detachment commander, MacKinnon said he also wants to maintain public trust and engage with community members and partner groups.

This will include determining public expectations and educating officers on the needs of the community.

“It is the public we serve; it is very important we keep a barometer of what their concerns are,” he noted.

MacKinnon was chosen for the position last spring, following a selection process that included input from community leaders.

He comes to Whitehorse from Amherst, Nova Scotia, where he was a staff-sergeant in charge of the Cumberland County District.

And so far, he said, he’s been enjoying the Yukon.

“It’s a beautiful place,” MacKinnon said. “I’ve only been here a week and I love it.”

But this isn’t MacKinnon’s first time in the North; he has also worked in northern Newfoundland.

“I love the North,” he said. “Being involved in the community was very important to me.”

Mackinnon grew up in the Maritimes, and joined the RCMP in 1989. During his career, he worked 18 years in Newfoundland and Labrador detachments.

He said he sees the new position in Whitehorse as a challenge, with “dynamic and interesting” work.

“I really look forward to serving the people of Whitehorse and ensuring that we exceed expectations of the public, and that’s my main goal.”

MacKinnon replaces Insp. Archie Thompson, who had been the detachment commander since 2014.

Thompson, who was recently promoted as a superintendent, has moved on to the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador.