Findings
Special Report on the Federal Policing Mandate of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

F1.

Federal Policing is an essential component of Canada’s security and intelligence community. It has a unique and broad mandate that includes investigating threats to national security and transnational and serious organized crime, protecting key federal and designated officials, supporting international operations, such as peace-keeping, and maintaining key policing relationships, both among our allies and with international institutions. (Paragraphs 47 to 60)

F2.

Federal Policing’s ability to manage its budget and maintain operations has only been possible as a result of unfilled vacancies in the program since 2016. Federal budgetary resources also are consistently displaced to fund other organizational priorities, primarily Contract Policing. (Paragraphs 129 and 136)

F3.

Federal Policing’s approaches to recruitment and training do not sufficiently support the Federal mandate. Federal Policing has struggled to source all the skills, education and experience required to conduct increasingly complex and specialized investigations in the modern criminal threat environment. (Paragraphs 137 to 45)

F4.

Federal Policing lacks effective and consistent direction over federal investigative units throughout the country. Federal Policing’s Prioritization Committee reviews new projects without an understanding of current investigations and expenditures in all Divisions, limiting Federal Policing’s ability to track major projects or to direct resources to the highest threats from a national perspective. (Paragraphs 157 and 170 to 173)

F5.

Federal Policing’s problems with data integrity and information management undermine effective decision-making and support to operations. The RCMP has an ineffective governance system which lacks standardized methods or approaches for data analytics. Of the information that is entered into the various data systems, many include incomplete records, outdated reporting, inconsistencies, incorrect data and missing information. Moreover, compliance among Federal Policing units throughout the country with direction to address these problems is near zero. This undermines Federal Policing’s ability to prioritize its work, attribute actual costs to investigations, and enable its intelligence units to make linkages among investigations or identify emerging issues. (Paragraphs 153 to 158)

F6.

Federal Policing does not have performance measures that account for success outside of charges laid. Federal Policing investigations are complex and can involve assistance or other activities that do not have arrest or charges as a goal. Current measures do not include relevant context or provide enough scope for complex outcomes. (Paragraphs 81, 82 and 173)

F7.

The RCMP recognizes the problems facing its Federal Policing mandate. The RCMP cannot effect the necessary changes alone. The Minister must take a greater role with respect to issues such as governance, priorities, and organizational direction. (Paragraph 116)