Members who serve with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are part of a highly specialized policing service and the RCMP’s unique and integrated federal, provincial and specialist policing model is a model increasingly envied and replicated around the world. For example, similar successful single models exist in Scotland, Finland, and Denmark.
This mandate, combined with consistent initial and ongoing training, ensures seamless collaboration throughout the RCMP to protect our country, our elected officials, and the ability to come together from various locations to respond to the worst emergencies or disasters in any community across the country at any time.
Most Canadians will never see or experience exactly how Members of the RCMP keep our communities safe, but in our newly developed video series – Why We Serve – we showcase the important and unique benefits that come from having RCMP Members serving across Canada through three different and unique scenarios.
Seamless Operational Integration Keeps Canadians Safe
From collaborating with international and other Canadian agencies and RCMP Members across the country on border safety and security, to policing rural and remote communities, RCMP Members are capable and committed to keeping our communities, our country, and all Canadians safe.
For example, earlier this year, RCMP Members worked with Canadian Border Services and Security to keep 233 kilograms or $6.5 million worth of cocaine off Canadian streets.
Policing and crime are becoming more complex and require an integrated response. The RCMP is uniquely positioned to provide this cross-jurisdictional expertise, as resources, investigators, specialized teams, and intelligence are all available within the same organization. If a specialized unit is required or if information for a criminal investigation is needed from officers serving any community across the country, Members of the RCMP need only pick up a phone, send an internal email, or login to RCMP-intelligence platforms to get it. This efficient communication, lack of bureaucracy and red tape means a faster, more nimble policing response, no matter the size and scope of an investigation or operation.
This was evident recently in Montreal, Quebec when the RCMP busted a clandestine lab likely producing mass quantities of counterfeit pills believed to be 25 times more powerful than fentanyl, and in Saskatchewan, when a drug trafficking investigation led by the RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit in Saskatchewan, and in partnership with several other law enforcement agencies, resulted in getting drugs of the streets and ultimately in a conviction and serious sentence.
The RCMP’s Ability to Draw on a Suite of Policing Resources is Unparalleled
Seamless operational integration and collaboration also means that only the RCMP has the capacity to pull officers and specialized teams from across the country to respond to dangerous threats involving multiple cities, towns or provinces.
Canada is a vast and often sparsely populated country. When an offender flees, it’s likely they will leave the initial scene, or even the province altogether to evade police. Thankfully, this is not an easy feat with the RCMP, as they are able to operate across provincial boundaries, and pull Members in from other Divisions to assist in cross-jurisdictional operations.
In 2019, the country was captivated by the nationwide hunt for two suspects involved in three homicides in Northern BC. This is a prime example of RCMP officers from across the country working together, across provincial borders, for justice.
Many policing responses require multiple specialized teams such as Air Services, Emergency Response Teams, and Police Dog Services, and our Members are uniquely able to work across operational teams to respond to high-risk, evolving threats.
Cross-Canada Presence Ensures Seamless Collaboration
A missing child is every parent’s worst nightmare, especially if you fear they’ve been abducted and taken from you. It’s a horrible scenario, but one that does happen in Canada. Thankfully, Members of the RCMP are here to respond to keep our families together and safe.
In September 2024, Members of the RCMP in Manitoba were called to action when they located a woman who was wanted for abducting her three children following an incident at the US/Canada border in Ontario. Due to the warrant’s scope not including Manitoba, the woman was released before continuing to flee with her children to Saskatchewan, where Members of the RCMP in that province located their abandoned vehicle.
Eventually, Members in Saskatchewan were able to find the woman, arrest her, and return her to custody in Brandon, Manitoba, and the children to Ontario to be reunited with their family.
Canadians are kept safe because of the hard work, dedication, and expertise of our brave and caring RCMP Members. They show up every day to have your back, and we at the NPF are proud to have theirs. It’s why we serve.
Learn more about the critically important work of our Members and sign up today for more information and behind-the-scenes looks at our Members’ service at WhyWeServe.ca.
