RCMP at the crossroads
As the storied police service turns 150, some communities are wondering if it’s time to pull the plug on the MountiesA fleet of vehicles for the fledgling Surrey Police Service gathers dust in a windowless room in a hidden warehouse.
But a new pro-RCMP mayor was elected last fall, putting the SPS and its hundreds of officers in limbo. The provincial government reviewed the situation and recommended sticking with the Surrey Police Service — it even offered to throw in funding.“We have a choice and we pick the RCMP,” she told a press conference last month.So for now, the officers Lipinski has helped to recruit and train as SPS officers show up to work in their SPS uniforms to take out RCMP vehicles.
“I think those discussions are healthy,” said RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, the top Mountie in British Columbia. “The question is, can an organization do everything? Can they do federal policing, national security and then do boots-on-the-ground policing? And that’s where the various municipal leaders have to make that decision and explore those options.”The recent inquiry into the mass shooting in Nova Scotia, which left 22 people dead in the spring of 2020, exposed cracks in the way Mounties do frontline policing.
“Whatever path [communities] choose, we will be there to support them. And that is an approach that we will take right across the country.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, centre, sits in the crowd with Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino, left, during the delivery of the Mass Casualty Commission inquiry's final report into the mass murders in rural Nova Scotia in Truro, N.S. on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
“I think everybody comes from the narrative that contract policing is not worthwhile, and I like to look at it from the reverse. Let’s talk about it from the positive,” he said. “Some Canadians will sit back and say, ‘Do you have much to celebrate?’” she said reflecting on the RCMP’s 150th anniversary.
Tasked with investigating the RCMP’s culture in the wake of that settlement, former Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache released a report in 2020 saying the RCMP “tolerates misogynistic, racist and homophobic attitudes.” “The culture hasn’t changed. The structure, of course, hasn’t changed. The systems haven’t changed. When you talk about change and we talk about a sense of urgency and a sense of purpose, well, it seems to have no sense of urgency at the political level.”
The provinces and territories pay the bulk of municipalities’ policing contracts — about 70 per cent — while the federal government covers the rest.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
RCMP: Musical Ride steeped in tradition as force celebrates 150 yearsMounties say the ride is a symbol of tradition, honour and pride where officers can build relationships with communities.
Read more »
'On the inside': Why some Indigenous officers stick with the RCMP despite strugglesThe RCMP, which marks its 150th anniversary on Tuesday, is struggling with the recruitment, but also the retention, of Indigenous members.
Read more »
Surrey RCMP searching for missing 12-year-old girlHave you seen Akila Geng? If so, contact Surrey RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
Read more »
'ON THE INSIDE': Why some Indigenous officers stick with the RCMP despite strugglesDean Gladue says he never experienced racism until joining the RCMP.
Read more »
‘Looking for Canada’: RCMP’s Musical Ride steeped in tradition as force turns 150Mounties say the ride is a symbol of tradition, honour and pride where officers can build relationships with communities.
Read more »
'On the inside': Why some Indigenous officers stick with the RCMP despite strugglesOTTAWA — Dean Gladue says he never experienced racism until joining the RCMP. The 26-year veteran began his career with the force in 1989 as special constable, a role assigned to police First Nations reserves.
Read more »