Margret Kopala (Ottawa Citizen) – It’s past time to put “E” Division out of its misery.
Oh, I know. Studies, recommendations and implementation plans for rehabilitating the RCMP are underway but it’s unlikely the overarching need for leadership, streamlining and a clear-cut mission will arrive soon enough to prevent more catastrophes. Like the taser death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver airport, the botched communications that allowed a man in violation of a court order to visit his three children in Merritt, B.C., then to be charged in their slayings, tops a history of missteps and out-of-touch police work.
So “E” Division has to go. With some 6,000 officers in 126 detachments throughout British Columbia, the contract for Canada’s largest RCMP division is up for renewal in 2012. And as retired judge Wallace Craig has argued in Vancouver’s North Shore News for the last few years, it is now or never to decide B.C.’s policing arrangements for the subsequent 20 years.
He also argues it’s about time British Columbia grew up and reclaimed its own police force.
Under Section 92 of the British North America Act, the provinces must carry out the administration of justice. And from the helter skelter days of the gold rush in the 1850s, a provincial constabulary, then the British Columbia Provincial Police Force, did just that. But on Aug. 15, 1950, British Columbia abdicated its constitutional duty and the era of RCMP contract policing began.
In postwar Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was riding high. With a sterling record of achievement and near mythical status, it seemed infallible and capable of taking on any task or structural change. One among many would be the departure from federal into contract policing for the provinces. But could the legendary command and control paramilitary force with lines of accountability only to Ottawa meet the test of rural and integrated policing? In B.C., that meant working with a civilian force numbering 2,500 in 11 different communities — all accountable to police boards appointed by local mayors.
No it couldn’t. And it hasn’t. No mish-mash of “three legged” policing styles and mixed lines of accountability could hope to work or to endure. By 2005, Auditor General Sheila Fraser pointed to staff shortages, chronic underfunding and undertraining. More recently, an ex-RCMP commissioner observed in the Globe and Mail that resources were stretched so thin, “international crimes don’t get the attention they deserve.”
Meanwhile, Statistics Canada reports that Vancouver has become Canada’s per-capita capital of gun-related violent crime. Gangland killings are routine even as the city has become the destination of choice for criminals seeking easy drugs and easy sentencing. A Vancouver Police Department website also reports that Greater Vancouver is second only to Miami in all North America when it comes to property crime.
Why property crime? Much in the way most gun crime is related to drug deals, property crime results from drug addicts seeking cash for quick fixes. But few would dispute a major root of West Coast crime, as in much of Canada, exists in the failure of enforcement officers to extinguish the marijuana grow-and-export trade to the United States. Now worth over $5 billion in British Columbia alone, it purchases guns and harder drugs for import into Canada thus fuelling a perverse cycle that is further fuelled by demand from addicts, weekend tokers, adolescents and, increasingly, children.
Restoring “E” Division’s duties as a federal police force begins the streamlining process. But even this relatively simple step won’t be possible without leadership capable of galvanizing and steering the forces on clearly defined missions.
Did I hear you say the name Gen. Rick Hillier? The celebrated and soon to be former chief of defense staff is a natural for the job of RCMP commissioner. Not only would the forces readily accept a “civilian” of his stature in an RCMP uniform, but he is just the man to speak up for the officers, to motivate and to guide them.
And need I add that he is the man to lead the RCMP in Canada’s War on Drugs?
If persuasion is required, just remind him of Mike Duffy’s recent interview with Derek Ogden, head of the RCMP’s Drugs and Organized Crime Centre, where we learned three per cent of Canada’s 7- to 11-year-olds are using marijuana on a daily basis.
Margret Kopala’s column on western perspectives appears every other week.
I do not condemn any organization based on difficulties they face or matters that they have erred in. ie: The RCMP made a huge mistake in slowing down and then closing their training facility, only to adhere to budget cuts engendered by the government(s) of the day. Some foresight was needed with respect to at least changing demographics and how that would affect personnel levels. The driving force behind such administrative decisions can be traced to government ideology, financial directives, human resource directives, and other initiatives taken with a political view by that government, and passed to its extremities.
To advocate for a wholesale change in mandate for the RCMP, and with such advocacy, fail to realize it is the same people doing the same thing, investigation, serves short shrift to the employees of that organization. To broad brush the front lines as the only ones attempting to effect change is specious.
Although the matters discussed here are primarily negative, there are plenty of examples of first class operations by the RCMP every day in the major newspapers. Hardly evidence of a “shattered organization”.
Mr. Lawrence does make some good points, some of which I totally agree. I do not pick up on any indication that he agrees that the whole organization is shattered and beyond repair. I interpret his remarks as there is serious work to be done in that organization, and his longevity there would add credibility to those observations.
I have yet to observe perfection in any large organization. However, positive and constructive suggestions go a lot farther than negativity. My grandmother always said that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. An old homily but very true.
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
I agree that all families (organizations) are functional to a degree. There are RCMP members that are trying to uphold the core values of the organization. (Integrity, Honesty, Professionalism, Compassion, Respect, and Accountability). The problem is that when these RCMP members are constantly being subjected to abuse they burnout or leave.
No one will ever live up to the core values one hundred percent of the time. No one is perfect. The members however, must strive towards that goal. The member’s actions or non-actions are compared to the core values of the organization; not to what we think or our opinions as individuals.
I don’t have to sell my dysfunctional organization statement. The fact that as of 8/31/05 one in eight RCMP regular members is receiving a disability pension will sell itself.
Calvin Lawrence
CGL Consulting
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
Get Real , you mention Federal legislation in Canada . yes that would include the Controlled Drug & Substance Act, Immigration & Passport Act , Customs Act . I think you would agree pretty important stuff when its comes to running a country . You appear to be somewhat knowledgeable when its comes to everyday workings of the force . Don’t you think the organization had all sorts of warning this crisis in Policing was coming ? Calvin LAWRENCE brings up some excellent points . The dedicated men & women in the front lines of the RCMP organization are the only ones trying to put the pieces back in a very shattered organization . You sound more like a Bureaucrat that sound be playing the company tune in Ottawa. Sorry to disaapoint if one seems bitter or disenchanted, however little is changing except the names at the top. I hope I am proven wrong !!
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
I think the question that bears answering is what progress is being made in attempting to correct organizational and indeed personal shortcomings. As a society we will always have a percentage of malcontents, ne’er do wells, corruptables, bullies, etc. Our measure is our progress in keeping the percentages as low as possible, and our persistence in trying to reduce them.
As we progress as a society we have instituted education on all manner of human foibles from driving while under the influence to the use / abuse of pharmaceuticals. Its a credible action that we bring spousal abuse, child abuse, polygamy, etc., out into the light for debate, discussion and attempts at solutions. There is less tendency to try and hide the little family “secrets”, be they in an organization or personally. You have to remember that some parts of the “family” are functioning quite well. Its the other parts that need our attention. You have to be able to sort which is which and not affect the well oiled parts from the ones that need a little grease.
We have been witness to some strides in the right direction in society in the past 10 years. What we need are solutions and discourse, not bitterness and “the sky is falling” mantra.
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
I agree that people have to change, but it’s the organization who protects upper management when they harass the members. The members have to live with the harassment and the upper management promote the supervisors to whom they’ve protected. It’s a matter of time before the aboriginal members place a class action suit against the rcmp.
I was harassed in 2005 by two supervisor’s and placed on restrictions or now called LNR’s. Both supervisors are now inspectors?
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
Those of you who are now, or are past RCMP members; I would like to you consider a yes or no answer to the following questions:
• RCMP members compulsively protect their inner feelings
• Only certain feelings are ok to be openly expressed by the member
• Performance is more important than the member
• There are many taboo subjects and lots of secrets
• Everyone must conform to the highest ranking member’s ideas and values
• There is a great deal of control and shaming
• There are a lot of “shoulds” from the higher to the lower ranks.
• The rules are unclear, inconsistent, and rigid
• The atmosphere is frequently tense
• There is a great deal of anger and fear
• People feel tired hurt and disappointed
• A number of RCMP Members have low self-worth
• Coalitions form across generations(keeps repeating the process)
The above list is the traits of a dysfunctional family. These traits exist in all military and police organizations including the RCMP. What happens to people who criticizing the family? The family closes ranks and ostracizes the family member. The same process takes place in the RCMP organization. The RCMP is the name of a police organization. “People”! I repeat, “People” have to change before the organization will change. We cannot change what we do not acknowledge and this includes the RCMP.
Calvin Lawrence
CGL Consulting
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
Far to simplistic a view. Just where do you think the provincial force would come from? From all the RCMP members doing police work now. Just how do you think it would be run? Just like all police forces in the world are run now. Just how would the new force deal with the drug problem? Same as it is now. The law dictates the procedures, methodology and outcome of all investigations. Guilt or innocence is not the focus of the courts, it is how did the police gather and store their evidence. You cannot blame the police for the failure of society to give it the tools to do the job efficiently. The courts are activist and out out touch. The recent Supreme Court decisions on the use of dogs by a 6-3 split should give you an inkling of the problem.
You agree that the RCMP would do an excellent job Federally? Is this the same RCMP you think is beyond repair? Or is that just beyond repair provincially and municipally? I got news for you, the Criminal Code is federal law. Or would you have the RCMP just enforce the other myriad of federal laws? Restrict them to the Migratory Birds Convention Act?
Mike Duffy as proof? Omigod, get real.
Every police force in Canada is in a hiring frenzy. There are not enough applicants for a large proportion of almost every profession.
To say that the organization is beyond repair is simply rubbish.
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0
Couldn’t agree more , although the RCMP intentions are good I believe the organization is beyond repair . The new Commissioner refuses to make a decision and simply continues to shuffle the Brass , in name only . I would agree that the RCMP would do an excellent job if their mandate was narrowed to Federal law within the Country of Canada . We do not have the resources to even supply basic policing in some parts of the Country .
Do you Like or Dislike the above comment:
0 
0