RCMP Response to CRCC Interim Reports
Issue:
CBC News item in relation to RCMP delays in responding to the CRCC Interim Reports.
Proposed Response:
- Civilian review is essential for ensuring public trust and confidence, and the RCMP fully supports the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission's investigative role.
- The RCMP’s objective is to deal appropriately and effectively with all complaints that are received, and we maintain open communications and cooperate with the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission to ensure accountability and transparency with respect to our management of complaints.
- Any recommendation regarding the operation or administration of the RCMP can have far-reaching and significant impacts to the organization and the public. As a result, there are many factors that need to be considered in preparing a response, and it is therefore difficult to provide an exact time line for completion of the RCMP’s response.
If Pressed:
- The RCMP considers all public complaints to be important and tries to address them in as timely a manner as possible while at the same time ensuring they are assessed thoroughly and appropriately.
Background:
Section 45.71(3)(a) of the RCMP Act prescribes that the Commission send the Interim Report to the Minister and the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall, as soon as feasible, provide the Commission and the Minister with a written response to the Commission’s Chairperson, who in turn will complete the Final Report.
Any recommendation regarding the operation or administration of the RCMP can have far-reaching and significant impacts to the organization and the public. As a result, there are many factors that need to be considered in preparing a response. These include existing case law, legal authorities, budgets, and potential impacts on our service to the public, amongst others. The RCMP acknowledges it takes time for a complete response to the interim reports, due in part to the number of interim reports and the volume of relevant material to be analyzed.
The National Public Complaints Directorate acknowledges that there is a delay in responding to the interim reports regarding public complaints. There has been a significant increase in CRCC interim reports in the last two years. Addressing the interim reports from the CRCC and improving timeliness of RCMP analysis/responses remains a priority. The Commissioner is committed to making every effort to provide a written response as soon as feasible.
A hiring process is underway to increase the number of civilian personnel in the National Public Complaints Directorate to address the Interim Reports awaiting analysis.
The ultimate goal of the public complaint process is to provide excellence in policing through accountability.
Public Complaints received *
2015 – 2016 - 2,109
2016 – 2017 - 2,341
2017 – 2018 - 2,317
2018 – 2019 - 2,317
2019 – 2020 - 2,286
*NOTE: These numbers differ from the CRCC statistics, as the CRCC screens out complaints that they determine are not within the mandate as legislated in Part VII of the RCMP Act. Only those complaints that are within the mandate are sent to the RCMP for investigation.
Contacts:
Prepared by: Superintendent Michael O’Malley, Director, RCMP National Public Complaints Directorate (613) 292-0066
Reviewed by: Chief Superintendent Stephane Drouin, Director General, Workplace Responsibility Branch (613) 850-1086
Approved by: Chief Superintendent Steven Dunn, Acting Professional Responsibility Officer, (613) 614-2379
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