(CBC News) – The RCMP’s new backup policy could cost tens of millions and see some remote detachments get more officers, while others might be served by Mounties who are flown in by plane, an official with the force said Wednesday.
Deputy Commissioner Bill Sweeney told a press conference in Ottawa that the policy will attempt to eliminate ambiguity about when officers should call for backup.
“We acknowledge that there may be ambiguity in some people’s minds today, and we are trying to make sure that does not exist,” Sweeney said.
The national backup policy comes after two officers were shot to death while responding to calls alone in the North.
RCMP Const. Douglas Scott, 20, was killed in Kimmirut, Nunavut, on Nov. 5. A month earlier, Const. Christopher Warden was gunned down in Hay River, Northwest Territories.
An official announcement with details of the policy is expected in two weeks.
Continue Article
Sweeney said it is being developed through consultations with RCMP members and all levels of governments.
Sweeney hinted that officers will likely have less say in where they are posted and the practice of allowing Mounties to live outside the communities where they serve will likely end.
‘This is not a new concept’
Sweeney said the creation of a new policy does not mean the RCMP hasn’t trained its officers in the use of backup before. He said cadets are drilled about how to safely respond to any threat, which includes learning about when to stop, reposition themselves and wait for backup to arrive.
“This is not a new concept that just has emerged as a consequence of recent sad events,” Sweeney said. “This has been part of our cadet training for many years.”
Sweeney said the national policy will simply reaffirm and clarify the principles that were already taught.
He noted that the internal RCMP e-mail sent in June that demanded officers justify all use of backup in a claim form was poorly worded and sent the wrong message. The e-mail, written by a senior officer and obtained by CBC News, stated that “just because a person is drunk or in an ugly mood does not justify two members.”
Sweeney said officers should not hesitate to call for backup.
“Officer safety cannot be compromised,” he said. “There is no expectation that members shouldn’t call for backup when they deem it necessary.”
Won’t hinder ability to serve 911 callers
Sweeney said the policy should not be of concern to Canadians who might fear police will wait too long for backup to be of any help.
“Canadians do expect that police will respond when they call 911 and they expect us [immediately], and we will not let them down.”
Sweeney warned that the new policy will not eliminate the inherent risks of policing.
“This is a very important point that bears repeating: Our society is full of risks virtually everywhere,” he said.
“There are hazards on our streets and highways, there are people who become careless and cause problems, there are others with criminal and evil intentions who don’t care about who gets harmed on their way to getting what they are seeking.”
You get what you pay for. 24 hours means more tax dollars. You want people anchored to the area via on call money? More tax dollars. How much homicide training do the renta cops have? Could be a good trade off to keep the tax bill down.
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
“putputRCMPspins” you need to do some research on the topic before you you make wild accusations.
You asked “What is this thing to be on call anyway?” What that means is that even though the RCMP officer has put in his or her 12 hour shift he or she is tied to their cellphone having to respond to any other complaints received during normally less busy times. The officer is not paid for this “on call” time they are only paid if they are called in to work. While they are “on call” even though they are not at work, they are not free to travel away from their detachment area.
And who lives in interest free homes. RCMP members pay interest on their mortgage the same as everyone else. Some live in rental accommodations owned by the government, but the rent is usually ridiculously high and the accommodations sub-par.
The reason why you have RCMP members “on call” is because the communities that they serve are too cheap to foot the extra money to have more police officers. If a town will only pay for 2 police officers, how do you have 24hr policing? You make the 2 officers work their shifts and then also force them to take extra calls when they are off duty, whether they want to or not.
I challenge you to actually research the amount of “unpaid” time that RCMP members put in to their jobs and their communities. The numbers will shock you.
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
Hey PutSpins,
Shediac New Brunswick has a cost cutting measure- they hired private security to police their downtown. They are much cheaper than the RCMP and for the price, I am sure are doing a much better job!
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
Why do a lot of small rural detachments in Canada do not provide 24/7 coverage and only have members on call when Mr. SWEENEY points out the public expects Police response immediately.
Do you really expect an honest answer to this question?
Never mind rural Detachments try other detachments.
What is this thing to be on call anyway?
Is this just a nice way for officers to be paid over and above regular pay like a brown bag deal while they rest cozy miles from their postings in their interest free homes only to come in the next day to the office for regular duties rested?
This may help to explain why it cost so much for the RCMP, like 250,000 dollars and up for a small town, and why no one ever sees a police cruiser drive by.
What happen to honesty and what happen to the Public Safety during the night? Is this out now with the shortage of RCMP members, is this out the door too?
Is it that they are short or want to be short, I would like to know?
They had to close down a part of the CNR in the east coast because they were loosing too much money; the problem wasn’t that they weren’t making money with the railroad the problem was they had to many CHIEFS and not enough INDIANS and it was costing too much to much to operate.
Maybe we just need to ask more volunteers to come in and patrol at night the streets of our small towns so we can allow our highly paid members to rest more securely and collect the pay they didn’t seem to earn on the back of the volunteers.
This stand by easy pay should be abolished immediately and they should patrol at nights like they are contracted and suppose to. If they don’t, don’t pay them.
I wonder what people would do if a company gave this kind of service? No dough it would be perused to recover the money they took.
I’m wondering if this police force has now become a 9-5 job with overtime pay while they sleep cozy snuggled in their own beds. I must be speaking of Sergeants and up here.
I challenge anyone to call your local RCMP detachment after hours to see if you get an officer or an answering machine and come and post the response you get there when you call. Lets do a survey to see if they are even there after hours.
About management it’s hopeless to think anyone of them could be held accountable for merely making faults comments. Are they not trained to do this.
Good luck trying to make those guys say UNCLE.
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
My question to Deputy Commissioner SWEENEY is where has Upper management been for the past 1O years. Furthermore why do a lot of small rural detachments in Canada do not provide 24/7 coverage and only have members on call when Mr SWEENEY points out the public expects Police response immediatly. This is yet again just another stall tatic hoping the intense media coverage will subside . I hope the RCMP Membership speaks up loud and clear ….. Enough lifes have been lost … RCMP management must be held accountable
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0