OTTAWA, ON, March 30, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (CRCC) released its report on the RCMP's bias-free policing model. The CRCC found that, while some regional training efforts were good practice, there are a number of shortcomings with the RCMP's national policy on unbiased policing.
"We recommend that the RCMP review its national policy to expand the prohibition against racial profiling to include all forms of biased policing," said Michelaine Lahaie, Chairperson of the CRCC. "I am encouraged that the RCMP has agreed with the entirety of our findings and plans to implement all our recommendations, including enhancing accountability measures and better training. I believe that addressing these gaps will help the RCMP deliver its services more equitably and help foster greater public trust, particularly among communities who may feel targeted by police."
The CRCC concluded that:
- the RCMP's national bias-free policing policy is inadequate, insufficient and unclear;
- a lack of adequate and sufficient data collection regarding alleged biased member conduct hinders accountability;
- national training related to bias-free policing is inadequate and insufficient, as it is predominantly cultural competency-type training and is not offered on a periodic basis; and
- while insufficient on its own, the cultural competency-type divisional training was identified as a good practice, given that it is specific to the region and developed in partnership with the communities and academia.
Among the report's 13 recommendations, the CRCC called on the RCMP to:
- amend national bias-free policy to include a clear statement barring all forms of bias-based profiling, as well as require periodic training, a periodic policy review and the collection of data to support a review;
- facilitate the assessment of policy compliance and training effectiveness by tracking allegations of biased member conduct, exploring other possible metrics; and
- strengthen training to make it recurring and more comprehensive in relation to unbiased policing.
The CRCC's report and the RCMP's response are available from the CRCC's website.
The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (CRCC) is an agency of the federal government, distinct and independent from the RCMP. Our mission is to deliver a robust complaint process that holds the RCMP accountable for its activities and the conduct of its members. The CRCC's mandate is to receive complaints from the public about the conduct of RCMP members; conduct reviews when complainants are not satisfied with the RCMP's handling of their complaints; initiate complaints and investigations into RCMP conduct when it is in the public interest to do so; review specified activities; report findings and make recommendations; and promote public awareness of the complaint process.
Website: www.complaintscommission.ca
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SOURCE Civilian Review & Complaints Commission for the RCMP
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