Comments on: The Americanization of the RCMP http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-americanization-of-the-rcmp/ Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:03:31 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Greg Amos http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-americanization-of-the-rcmp/comment-page-1/#comment-6282 Greg Amos Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:57:08 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=33#comment-6282 "We fret about each incident, but ignore the pattern," said Crawford Killian in a Nov. 2007 article in the Tyee on why the RCMP needs to be disbanded. The individual infractions are troubling enough, but the consistency with which each internal investigation is dragged out, while providing as few details as possible, should be cause for Candians to demand improvements to the force's transparency. Having police forces conduct their own investigations is like having forest companies overseeing their own environmental compliance. Allowing self-regulation is the mark of a weak government. Under Mulroney, the Commissioner of the RCMP became linked to the Deputy Minister to the Solicitor General. I'm not clear on the nature of that relationship, but it likely led to the politicization of the force. Most RCMP officers are good men and women just trying to do the jobs. They're not to blame; it's the structure of the organization that needs revamping. And as bad as the RCMP are, they're a step up from the BC Provincial Police (disbanded in 1950), who frewquently answered to the whims of local politicians. “We fret about each incident, but ignore the pattern,” said Crawford Killian in a Nov. 2007 article in the Tyee on why the RCMP needs to be disbanded.

The individual infractions are troubling enough, but the consistency with which each internal investigation is dragged out, while providing as few details as possible, should be cause for Candians to demand improvements to the force’s transparency.

Having police forces conduct their own investigations is like having forest companies overseeing their own environmental compliance. Allowing self-regulation is the mark of a weak government.

Under Mulroney, the Commissioner of the RCMP became linked to the Deputy Minister to the Solicitor General. I’m not clear on the nature of that relationship, but it likely led to the politicization of the force.

Most RCMP officers are good men and women just trying to do the jobs. They’re not to blame; it’s the structure of the organization that needs revamping.

And as bad as the RCMP are, they’re a step up from the BC Provincial Police (disbanded in 1950), who frewquently answered to the whims of local politicians.

]]> By: connie http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-americanization-of-the-rcmp/comment-page-1/#comment-62 connie Mon, 05 May 2008 05:13:47 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=33#comment-62 Note: my views need to be read in the light of my being the mother of two cops and that policing was my beat. I believe every international military or para-military organization apes the Americans. They are the Romans of our day. Like it or not, Americanization is going to happen. And for that reason, it needs to be examined by the RCMP and all other police and peace officer agency in Canada so that the needs of Canadians can be served as they should. By necessity, the majority of the facts must be kept from the public to preserve the integrity of the case. This also applies to police procedures. That said, I agree that of late, the RCMP have shot themselves in the foot on numerous occasions . But, it is far too much of a generalization to say Americanization is to blame. I don't think that is the source of the RCMP's problems. Leadership and discipline seem to be weakened in cases I have observed. My biggest concern for the force is that the rank and file cannot easily depend on their leadership. Weakening of the leadership and a seemingly lack of judgement on behalf of the officers in charge appear in many cases reported by the media. Actions by the higher ranks are not comparable to the same when I was following the RCMP closely. There are too many incidents where the guys in the field are left undefended due to questionable leadership. There are seven dead mounties to show that to be true. Top and bottom have to know what the other is doing and thinking and that doesn't always seem to be happening. Something has gone very wrong in the leadership from detachment head to Ottawa headquarters. I 'm not sure I would confidently put my trust in the RCMP as I once would have done. The serious problem is that I don't think they can either and that is serious. Tasers are a whole different story. The public asked for a 'safe' step before use of lethal force. We got tasers. I think the company has sold us a bill of goods. They aren't safe and their proper use isn't always taught. I can't lay blame in the apparent Vancouver airport failure yet. We don't know what they saw or heard or why they acted. We can't know know why the RCMP acted when and as they did. We can't judge without knowing what they observed. But we must be told the minute the inquiries conclude. We know there are escalating steps of force: talking, batons, spray, tasers and guns. But they aren't all used in order as we believe. A cop must judge and act. You can't stop to talk to a guy who is drawing a knife or a gun or otherwise indicating he has accelerated to a very dangerous point. There is a rumour Rick Hillier may be appointed commissioner. For the sake of the RCMP and those they serve, I sure hope so. Policing is as hazardous as it gets. We need a leader who can organize, discipline, lead and most of all look out for the troops. Hillier can do that. Meanwhile, can we blame a cop who defends himself when he knows his back isn't being watched as it should be? Note: my views need to be read in the light of my being the mother of two cops and that policing was my beat.
I believe every international military or para-military organization apes the Americans. They are the Romans of our day. Like it or not, Americanization is going to happen. And for that reason, it needs to be examined by the RCMP and all other police and peace officer agency in Canada so that the needs of Canadians can be served as they should.
By necessity, the majority of the facts must be kept from the public to preserve the integrity of the case. This also applies to police procedures. That said, I agree that of late, the RCMP have shot themselves in the foot on numerous occasions . But, it is far too much of a generalization to say Americanization is to blame. I don’t think that is the source of the RCMP’s problems. Leadership and discipline seem to be weakened in cases I have observed. My biggest concern for the force is that the rank and file cannot easily depend on their leadership. Weakening of the leadership and a seemingly lack of judgement on behalf of the officers in charge appear in many cases reported by the media. Actions by the higher ranks are not comparable to the same when I was following the RCMP closely. There are too many incidents where the guys in the field are left undefended due to questionable leadership. There are seven dead mounties to show that to be true. Top and bottom have to know what the other is doing and thinking and that doesn’t always seem to be happening.
Something has gone very wrong in the leadership from detachment head to Ottawa headquarters. I ‘m not sure I would confidently put my trust in the RCMP as I once would have done. The serious problem is that I don’t think they can either and that is serious.
Tasers are a whole different story. The public asked for a ‘safe’ step before use of lethal force. We got tasers. I think the company has sold us a bill of goods. They aren’t safe and their proper use isn’t always taught. I can’t lay blame in the apparent Vancouver airport failure yet. We don’t know what they saw or heard or why they acted. We can’t know know why the RCMP acted when and as they did. We can’t judge without knowing what they observed. But we must be told the minute the inquiries conclude. We know there are escalating steps of force: talking, batons, spray, tasers and guns. But they aren’t all used in order as we believe. A cop must judge and act. You can’t stop to talk to a guy who is drawing a knife or a gun or otherwise indicating he has accelerated to a very dangerous point.
There is a rumour Rick Hillier may be appointed commissioner. For the sake of the RCMP and those they serve, I sure hope so. Policing is as hazardous as it gets. We need a leader who can organize, discipline, lead and most of all look out for the troops. Hillier can do that. Meanwhile, can we blame a cop who defends himself when he knows his back isn’t being watched as it should be?

]]>