Lack of RCMP reforms at issue, observers say

Kenyon Wallace (National Post) – Frustration over a lack of promised reforms three years after a civilian was appointed to revive the troubled RCMP is at the heart of complaints about Comissioner William Elliott, say those familiar with the conflict.

As many as 10 deputy and assistant commissioners have complained to the Prime Minister’s Office about a perceived lack of progress in changes to the force’s governance structure, human resources and funding, as well as Mr. Elliott’s alleged “verbally abusive” and “abrasive” management style.

A career bureaucrat, Mr. Elliott became the first man without a background in policing to run the RCMP when he was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2007.

“The people complaining all want change … they’ve been down in the trenches with the force’s membership, so they know what it’s like,” said Ron Lewis, a recently retired senior Mountie, referring to problems associated with the force’s reported chronic understaffing and underfunding. “They find it very frustrating.”

Mr. Lewis, who helped expose the mismanagement of the RCMP’s pension plan in 2004 after a 35-year career, has spoken with some of the senior brass complaining about the lack of change within the organization.

He said a major concern of his former colleagues is the federal government’s delay in creating a civilian board of management, as recommended by independent investigator David Brown in his 2007 report “A Matter of Trust” on problems within the force. The board’s role would be to keep tabs on the commissioner, ensure transparency and handle all internal problems including staff complaints.

“That’s the most important reform the RCMP needed, so that when there’s a problem at the senior executive level, there’s somewhere to go,” Mr. Lewis said. “Having a board in place would have prevented things like [the recent publicity] from happening.”

Shortly after his appointment, Mr. Elliott established a “change management team” to spearhead a reorganization of the force’s upper echelons — an effort that, according to experts, has accomplished little.

“Part of the problem was that the Commissioner was brought in with a change mandate, but I’m not sure he really knows how to introduce, manage and sustain that change,” said Robert Gordon, director of Simon Fraser University’s School of Criminology.

“He’s up against a monolith and I don’t think one individual would be in a position to do very much.”

But Senator Colin Kenny, an expert on RCMP command structures, said that if Mr. Elliott believes he cannot accomplish his mandate, he should be speaking up on behalf of the force.

“Unless you address some of the major issues, like governance, you don’t get anywhere,” said Mr. Kenny. “The deputy and assistant commissioners have been pushing for it.”

He said the appointment of Mr. Elliott has served its purpose as a “cold shower” for the force and now someone with RCMP training should take over.

But that’s not likely to happen any time soon, said Mr. Lewis, who believes the governing Conservatives would not risk losing face by removing the very person they appointed to bring about change in the ranks.

“If they do pull him out now, the Opposition will be all over Mr. Harper, saying ‘You brought this guy in to control the RCMP. The RCMP fought back and they won. Who’s in control?,’” Mr. Lewis said.

He added, however, that such a crisis in leadership cannot continue indefinitely.

“If the team revolts against the coach, who goes? The coach.”

The government is refusing to comment until a workplace assessment overseen by the deputy minister of public safety is completed.