Executive Summary
Special Report on the Federal Policing Mandate of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Five years ago, the Committee decided to study the activities of core security and intelligence organizations that had not been previously subject to dedicated and independent review. While the RCMP has been subject to dedicated and independent review, no external organization had conducted an external review specifically of its Federal Policing mandate. As such, the Committee elected to review the Federal Policing mandate of the RCMP, consistent with subsection 8 (b) of the NSICOP Act. It seeks to explain and examine the Federal Policing mandate’s programs, activities, structures, capabilities, authorities and accountabilities.
As one of the core organizations in Canada’s national security and intelligence community, the RCMP, through its Federal Policing mandate, is Canada’s lead law enforcement organization for investigations relating to national security, transnational and serious organized crime, financial crime and cyber crime. Federal Policing investigates the most serious criminal threats to Canadians and Canadian interests. The complexity of these crimes is increasing due to the digitization of society and transnational nature of crime.
The role of Federal Policing is essential to Canada’s national security. It is the only organization capable of conducting investigations of the most significant criminal threats across jurisdictions, both within Canada and abroad (in cooperation with foreign police forces). It is also charged by the federal government with protecting key federal and designated officials, and supporting international operations, such as peacekeeping.
In this review, the Committee found that Federal Policing faces a number of challenges. The Federal Policing mandate is affected by the RCMP's long focus on Contract Policing, which has shaped the RCMP's organizational structure, governance, finances, and human resource and training models. Against this background, Federal Policing has struggled with challenges internal to its program. These include weak governance and prioritization of federal activities and investigations; poor data and data management; an intelligence function misaligned with federal requirements; and recruitment and training models ill-suited to its mandate.
The RCMP clearly recognizes the problems facing its Federal Policing mandate. If fully implemented, its many initiatives in the areas of governance, data, prioritization, intelligence, recruitment and training should improve Federal Policing’s ability to fulfill its mandate. However, the Committee believes that more leadership and direction from the federal government is needed, particularly in creating a statutory definition of police independence and in setting out standards and expectations regarding recruitment and training, data and reporting. This will help to ensure that Federal Policing is able to address the highest priority threats to Canadian national security and public safety.
The government has a responsibility to ensure that the various components of its security and intelligence community function effectively. On the basis of its review, the Committee believes that Federal Policing is not and cannot function as effectively as it must to protect Canada and Canadians from the most significant national security and criminal threats. The government must act to ensure it does.