RCMP 2022-23 Departmental Results Report

Description

Federal Policing addresses the most serious and complex criminal threats to the safety and security of Canadians and Canadian interests, including democratic institutions, economic integrity, and physical and cyber infrastructure. Through Federal Policing, the RCMP prevents, detects, and investigates national security threats, cybercrime, and transnational and serious organized crime, including financial crime. In addition, it enforces federal statutes, conducts international policing activities, and upholds Canada's border integrity and the security of significant government-led events, designated officials, and dignitaries.

Results

Result: Canada and Canadian interests are safe and secure against serious and complex criminal threats.

Gender-based Analysis Plus for Federal Policing

In 2022-23, Federal Policing continued to roll out its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Implementation Plan and advance the following GBA Plus initiatives:

• created an MS Teams Employee Reconciliation Network with the RCMP-Indigenous, Co-development, Collaboration and Accountability Office to advance Indigenous Reconciliation, with consideration of Indigenous People’s own identity factors
• incorporated GBA Plus considerations, best practices, and lessons learned to committee and staffing selection processes, such as including measures to promote an equal opportunity to every candidate, and to monitor and correct possible gaps in accessibility or unintended barriers for diverse groups
• worked with business intelligence and transformation teams on collecting diversity and employment equity data to apply an intersectional approach to staffing processes in the future, assess potential effects on candidate’s selection based on their identity factors, and identify challenges in hiring from diverse groups
• promoted and provided access to diversity and GBA Plus awareness training and self-assessment and feedback tools

In addition, Covert Operations reviewed and made changes to training selection processes to ensure consistency with GBA Plus principles. Covert Operations also created an EDI strategy and formed the Covert Operations Advisory Committee on EDI. The committee made several recommendations and highlighted the need to continue working toward gathering information and data about our program and our employees. This information will help efforts toward reducing barriers and improving the inclusivity of the Covert Operations Branch.

The International Operations program also made progress to promote GBA Plus abroad:

• To enhance the ability of police officers to deliver gender-sensitive programming, Women, Peace and Security remains a key feature for all Pre-Deployment International Peace Support Operations Training sessions. In addition, in order to understand the implications of diversity in government policy and procedures, all deployed personnel are required to take Women and Gender Equality Canada’s online GBA Plus training
• Federal Policing renewed its involvement in the United Nations Pre-Selection Assistance and Assessment Team training to assist women police officers to be successful in their applications to serve in UN Peacekeeping Missions. A pool of 15 Canadian police officers were certified to deliver Pre-Selection Assistance and Assessment Team training to women police officers in UN Police Contributing Countries. In 2022-23, Pre-Selection Assistance and Assessment Team training sessions were delivered in Zambia and Niger
• As part of efforts to renew the International Operations program’s Performance Information Profile and the Action Plan for strengthening the Canadian Police Arrangement reporting, the RCMP developed new performance measurement indicators, including GBA Plus performance indicators, to better capture the impacts and lessons learned at both the program and mission levels

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

The RCMP is working to support the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals across all of its core responsibilities. Details for Federal Policing are provided below.

Innovation

In 2022-23, Federal Policing created the Strategic Foresight and Methodology Team. The objective of foresight research is to identify capabilities Federal Policing will require to remain effective in the future law enforcement operating environment. Scenarios and assessments produced by the Foresight team helped set the agenda for the Federal Policing Strategic Research team.

Federal Policing also concluded an innovation pilot project with Defence Research and Development Canada on customized telecommunications analysis software.

During 2022-23, the Covert Operations, Open Source and Data Science program continued its modernization efforts with a focus on embracing technology:

• The team reviewed options for digital note-taking to enhance operational effectiveness, bolster operational security, and improve employee wellness
• Through collaboration with Federal Technology Services, several teams embraced Share-Point as a means of coordinating and collaborating more closely with the divisions

Key risks

During 2022-23, Federal Policing continued to implement mitigation strategies to address areas of higher risk identified in the 2022-23 Departmental Plan ^{footnote 5}:

• To address human resourcing challenges, Federal Policing continued to diversify its workforce with Civilian Criminal Investigators. They conduct highly technical financial and cybercrime investigations along side experienced police officers. There are currently 22 Civilian Criminal Investigators who provide specialized expertise on the Integrated Market Enforcement and cybercrime teams.
• To adapt to the changing nature of crime, Federal Policing advanced several technology projects including the implementation of an Enterprise Geographic Information System-based platform to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of border integrity operations and enhance collaboration with other law enforcement partners.
• During 2022-23, Federal Policing completed 22 Memoranda of Understanding, half of which were with international partners. These new partnerships supported the increasing complexity of investigations and information-sharing across multiple jurisdictions.

Results achieved

The following table shows, for Federal Policing, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2022-23, and the results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 23}

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for Federal Policing, budgetary spending for 2022-23, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 24}

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022-23.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 25}

Description

Externally, the RCMP provides specialized and technical services to all Canadian law enforcement agencies, which include advanced training for law enforcement; national criminal data repositories; firearms regulation and licensing; and investigative tools and services, including forensics, identification, firearms and child exploitation. Internally, a diverse range of technical services are also provided to advance RCMP operations and investigations, such as the collection of digital evidence and cybercrime intelligence, the delivery of policing information technology tools, and the implementation of departmental and personnel security standards.

Results

Result: Law enforcement and Canadians have access to modern specialized policing services

Gender-based Analysis Plus for National Police Services

• A GBA Plus assessment was conducted for the Canadian Firearms program, which identified an opportunity to address impacts associated with age, region of residence, Indigenous status, people with disabilities, and gender. To support enhanced service delivery and mitigate impacts, the program completed the first phase of the Canadian Firearms Digital Services Solution. User research and testing was incorporated in planning, designing, and developing the online possession and acquisition licence application to meet client needs. Moreover, accessibility testing was conducted on the online application prior to its release.
• The Canadian Police College appointed a new director to advance its Leadership, Diversity, and Inclusion Center; champion the Police Development Center for Indigenous Policing; chair the Positive Space Committee; and provide executive-level subject matter expertise on inclusive leadership, gender-based analysis, cultural competence, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. The director led outreach activities with internal and external partners, and consulted with academia and communities of practice, to deepen gender-based analysis in the College’s courses and curriculum.
• The Analytics, Data, and Information Management Directorate of the Operational IM/IT program continued to collaborate with business lines and lead on the collection, protection, use, and disposition of data in a well-governed and ethical manner, so that the RCMP can continue to ensure transparent and accountable interactions with diverse populations. Staffing and development plans included a continuous focus on the recruitment of women, promotion of Indigenous IT apprenticeship, and the hiring of persons with disabilities supported by telework offerings.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

The RCMP is working to support the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals across all of its core responsibilities. Details for National Police Services are provided below.

Innovation

• Forensic Science and Identification Services began testing smartphone technology to allow members of the public to submit fingerprints from their personal devices for the purposes of criminal record checks for civil purposes. Emphasis was placed on testing the accuracy of fingerprint image capture and identification, with further testing to resume in the fall of 2023.
• National Forensic Laboratory Services continued to extend and enhance the Laboratory Information Management System, which automates the management of service requests for forensic analysis. The program completed the acquisition and configuration of new server infrastructure, updated scripts, utilities, templates, and applications in an effort to support the eventual transition to a new version of the system. Once fully operational, administrative processes related to laboratory submissions and internal processing will be streamlined, thereby improving laboratory efficiencies.
• The Canadian Firearms Digital Services Solution project, under Operational IM/IT Services, continued to explore the digitization of services and processes to reduce the need for manual data entry, while leveraging automated data validation options to support efficient decision-making. In November 2022, the digital portal for Firearms Possession and Acquisition Licenses was launched to the public. Between then and March 31, 2023, 24% of applications were received online, reducing the time required for manual input (4.2 days online compared to 13.6 days for paper) and time to complete applications (14 days online compared to 39.4 days for paper). With these promising results, the RCMP will continue to explore ways to provide services to the public that are modern, simple, and efficient.

Key risks

Based on the RCMP’s 2020 Environmental Scan, ^{footnote 33} National Police Services identified several risks and accompanying opportunities that it continued to address through a variety of mitigation strategies. Themes included:

• keeping pace with and incorporating technological changes
• developing a proactive and aligned approach on competing priorities
• attracting and retaining talent to meet the needs of new and existing skills sets
• developing its workforce to meet evolving technology trends and digital work environments
• sharing knowledge and collaborating to improve and develop new technical and operational solutions
• supporting transparency and openness with new ideas, tools, and processes
• coordinating corporate administrative functions and business processes
• obtaining and managing funding to ensure long-term sustainability

Results achieved

The following table shows, for National Police Services, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2022-23, and the results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 49}

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for National Police Services, budgetary spending for 2022-23, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 50}

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022-23.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 51}

Description

Under the Police Service Agreements, the RCMP provides policing services to the provinces (except Ontario and Québec) and territories, as well as municipalities and Indigenous communities including through the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program. These services include the general administration of justice, consisting of the preservation of peace, prevention of crime, and fulfilment of all duties as outlined under the laws of Canada or the laws of respective provinces and territories.

Results

Result: The RCMP provides modern contract policing services

Results

Result: Improved relationships with and outcomes for Indigenous people

Gender-based Analysis Plus

In March 2023, an interim contract for lighter-weight hard body armour was awarded. This will allow the RCMP to address the life cycle management of expired/expiring hard body armour deployed in the field as well as new requests for lighter-weight hard body armour for the membership. This interim mitigation measure will assist in bridging the current need for hard body armour until the new multi-year contract is awarded, expected later in 2023. Acquiring lighter hard body armour for the membership is in keeping with the spirit of GBA Plus by having the equipment adjusted to fit the needs of specific members, and not the member having to adjust or sacrifice their individual needs. The RCMP will soon have hard body armour that will fit a more diverse membership.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

The RCMP is working to support the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals across all of its core responsibilities. Details for Contract and Indigenous Policing are provided below.

Innovation

In 2022-23, the RCMP’s Operational Research Unit:

• finished piloting the LifeSkills Training (an evidence-based drug prevention program that focuses on changing behaviours of youth) in three RCMP divisions, in collaboration with the RCMP’s National Youth Services. Analyses of the data are currently underway and will inform whether the RCMP should move forward with national implementation of this program in schools that have partnerships with the RCMP
• continued to engage with academic researchers to research and evaluate body-worn cameras as they are rolled out on a national scale. This partnership will help ensure transparency and the independence of some evaluation activities during the phased roll-out of body-worn cameras across the country
• concluded a project that explored approaches used by Canadian police services to respond to mental health calls and the demand these calls place on police, in collaboration with academics from Carleton University, the Canadian Police Association, the National Police Federation, and other law enforcement partners. The data obtained from this research will contribute to better understanding the interactions between Canadian police officers and persons with mental illnesses, including, but not limited to:
  • the number and nature of mental health-related calls
  • how mental health-related calls are resolved
  • the estimated demands associated with mental health-related calls (in terms of time, cost, and resources)

The RCMP also made Virtual Reality Training available to divisions as part of the new T7 Conducted Energy Weapon training package.

Results achieved

The following table shows, for Contract and Indigenous Policing, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2022-23, and the results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 70}

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for Contract and Indigenous Policing, budgetary spending for 2022-23, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 71}

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022-23.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the RCMP’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase. ^{footnote 72}

Employee Well-Being Strategy

In its second year of implementing the Strategy, the RCMP successfully advanced the 12 initiatives outlined in the action plan. Highlights include:

• development of a new module on the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace ^{footnote 73} as part of the Executive/Officer Development Program
• increased promotion of the RCMP Employee and Family Resource Guide ^{footnote 74} to inform all employees (active and off-duty) and their families of the well-being resources available to them
• continued collaboration on the Informal Conflict Management Program, where parties are referred to the program for consultation with a practitioner and conciliation/mediation if both parties agree
• creation of Well-Being Ambassador positions for regular members in British Columbia, Yukon, Prince Edward Island, Depot Division and Nunavut for which staffing processes were initiated in February 2023
• writing and disseminating the first annual progress report of the RCMP Well-being Strategy ^{footnote 75}

Psychological Health Screening

In 2022-23, RCMP psychologists delivered 955 psychological health screenings to active RCMP members in most divisions. Post-screening survey results continued to indicate that members have a high level (90%) of satisfaction with the program. The RCMP continued to face challenges in its efforts to hire additional psychologists to expand capacity to deliver this valuable injury/illness prevention service to members.

RCMP Longitudinal PTSD Study

Research into the operational stress injuries of police officers, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), began in April 2019. The RCMP PTSD Study is part of the National Action Plan on Post Traumatic Stress Injuries and is being conducted at the RCMP's Training Academy (Depot Division) along with the University of Regina’s Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment. The study requires 960 initial participants from the Cadet Training Program and is designed to establish psychological and physiological baseline data. Regular data collection times have been established and those in the study will participate for 5.5 years (encompassing the 6-month Cadet Training Program and the first five years of service in the field).

The first group of 480 cadets have been recruited into the study (Team 1) and are now working in the field. The second group (Team 2) began June 2022. However, cadets in Team 2 are also receiving 13 hours of an evidence-based program called Emotional Resilience Skills Training, which was adapted to fit within the Cadet Training Program. The RCMP and clinicians at the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment worked with Dr. David Barlow and his team from Boston University who developed the universally recognized Unified Protocol, which is a transdiagnostic treatment that can be applied to a wide range of mood disorders. As part of the research, the evidence suggests that if cadets are trained to use these skills before they are injured psychologically, then they will be better equipped to manage the traumatic events that they will ultimately experience and witness in the field, and thus reduce the prevalence and severity of operational stress injuries.

Eleven peer-reviewed articles have been published in scientific journals regarding this study. So far, preliminary results have found that cadets coming into Depot have better mental health than the Canadian population on average. Cadets who are fully engaged in the study throughout their time at Depot see an improvement in mental health compared to when they first arrived at Depot. Additionally, cadets who participate in the study have a higher likelihood of graduating from the Cadet Training Program than those who do not participate.

RCMP-Indigenous, Co-Development, Collaboration and Accountability Office

In 2022-23, the RCMP, with consideration of the advice and guidance of the Management Advisory Board for the RCMP, continued implementation of a team in the Chief Human Resources Officer sector that is comprised of 70% First Nation, Inuit, and Metis employees that have lived experiences. The RCMP-Indigenous, Co-Development, Collaboration and Accountability Office promotes positive relationships with internal and external Indigenous networks to inform human resources policies, practices and programs with an Indigenous lens. This year, the office:

• achieved progress on the Many Voices One Mind: a Pathway to Reconciliation ^{footnote 76} action plan with the implementation of the Indigenous Career Navigators Program at National Headquarters. It also continued implementation of the Knowledge Circle for Indigenous Inclusion’s ^{footnote 77} Career Navigators program, which will result in certified Career Navigators that will be available to support Indigenous employees
• continued its external engagement with Indigenous-led contractor Kūwiingu-néewul Engagement Services ^{footnote 78} to inform community-driven relationship building and recruitment practices. To date, the RCMP and Kūwiingu-néewul have undertaken engagement sessions in Nunavut and Labrador, as well as with National Indigenous Organizations
• reinstated the RCMP Indigenous Employee Council with a total membership of more than 300, which helped to strengthen employee networks continue to play a key role in finding solutions to address systemic barriers in Human Resources in areas such as recruitment, retention and career development for First Nation, Inuit, and Metis employees of all categories
• continued supporting the RCMP Commissioner in meetings with Indigenous organizations to build relationships and advance commonly held reconciliation priorities

The Women’s Indigenous Network and the RCMP Indigenous Employee Council expanded their footprint in the organization and produced multiple cultural learning activities force-wide in 2022-23. Cultural events such as Stories from Residential School Survivors to inform National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Village Workshop to explore past and present realties of Indigenous people, and Career Development Discussions for regular members to inform recruitment and retention initiatives were also undertaken. The office continues to collaborate with other RCMP programs such as National Recruitment, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the Anti-Racism Unit, the Official Languages Directorate, and Contract and Indigenous Policing to advance reconciliation across the organization.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The RCMP’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy continued to set the foundation to address systemic racism and discrimination by building organizational capacity to create a dedicated Centre of Expertise to implement an evergreen strategic approach to EDI, and to modernize the RCMP’s human resources systems, policies, and practices.

In 2022-23, EDI developed an RCMP Framework for Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Leadership to create a formalized structure for the roles and responsibilities of sponsors for equity-seeking communities and networks. EDI increased governance by launching the 2SLGBTQI+ Employee Network and the Disability Network and Action Group, and engaged stakeholders including equity-seeking groups and central agencies. In January 2023, EDI launched the RCMP Accessibility Strategy and Accessibility Plan. ^{footnote 79} An EDI communications strategy was also developed to increase engagement and outreach.

To enhance data collection, analysis, and reporting, an updated EDI Strategy was also delivered to better inform decisions. EDI initiated engagement with Action, Innovation and Modernization to strengthen Annual Performance Plan System reporting by working towards obtaining performance indicators for divisional EDI Strategy reporting.

Race-based Data Collection

To support the Ministerial and Commissioner mandate letter commitments related to addressing systemic racism, the RCMP’s Anti-Racism Unit delivered anti-racism training internally to the Race-based Data Working Group, the National Integrated Operations Council, and Senior Management Team in April and September 2022, and at the Canadian Disaster Response Organization Conference in October 2022.

In September 2022, Senior Executive Committee members approved the Chief Human Resources Officer’s approach for a Race-based Data Collection Framework using the 2018 Ontario Anti-Racism Data Standards as a best practice and guide for data collection, and to move towards mandatory data collection in its various records management systems.

To help address challenges and to bring together senior decision-makers from business lines responsible for driving and supporting the successful implementation of the race-based data initiative, a Director General Steering Committee was established in December 2022. The committee meets monthly to address issues and challenges and provide guidance in the approach for the organizational implementation of race-based data collection. The Anti-Racism Unit also held a two-day retreat with partners and leading subject matter experts to consult and collaborate on the initiative. A total of 45 participants attended from across RCMP Headquarters and from three divisions and met key objectives to:

• provide participants with a clear understanding of race-based data collection within the context of systemic racism in Canada
• move to the design phase of the program
• gather input on the race-based data collection initiative

Between fall 2022 and winter 2023 the Anti-Racism Unit, in collaboration with the RCMP-Indigenous, Co-Development, Collaboration and Accountability Office, completed site visits to six divisions and 12 detachments to identify pilot sites for the race-based data collection initiative, and meet with more than 70 regular members and community individuals and organizations. Based on these site visits and other analysis, the Anti-Racism Unit engaged senior leadership and developed preliminary recommendations for pilot sites.

Additionally, the Anti-Racism Unit initiated, and is continuing to participate, in working groups within Statistics Canada, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, to ensure a collaborative and coordinated approach to the development of guidelines for race-based data collection in policing.

GBA Plus Centre of Expertise

In 2022-23, the GBA Plus Centre of Expertise, led by the RCMP’s Action, Innovation and Modernization directorate (AIM), continued to provide centralized advice, support and training on the application of GBA Plus across the RCMP. To help enhance GBA Plus capacity, the Centre hosted four meetings of the RCMP GBA Plus Network. The Network also served as a key consultation group in the development of a new GBA Plus policy statement at the RCMP, which is expected to be launched in 2023-24. It continued to provide a forum to identify priorities and common GBA Plus issues, and to share knowledge, resources, and GBA Plus-related tools. The GBA Plus Centre of Expertise training and awareness sessions have been successful, resulting in increased awareness and additional requests for GBA Plus support across business lines. In fall 2022, the Centre held practical GBA Plus training sessions with the RCMP Internal Audit, Evaluation and Review directorate to support further integration of GBA Plus in such processes.

In 2022-23, AIM provided direct GBA Plus support to priority initiatives such as:

• providing advice and guidance on the conduct measures guide review
• supporting a GBA Plus lens in the implementation of body-worn cameras, including to ensure that diverse groups of people are consulted on the initiative
• working to embed GBA Plus in the RCMP’s National Technology Onboarding Program
• ensuring the needs of diverse groups of people are considered in the pilot for a new duty shirt for regular members

AIM also began discussions with Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada ^{footnote 80} ensure the unique needs and experiences of Inuit women, girls, and gender diverse Inuit are included in the RCMP GBA Plus approach.

Culture Change

Culture change remained a priority for AIM in 2022-23. The Holistic Culture Change Working Group (a forum intended to share information, collaborate and facilitate ongoing integration and communication across RCMP modernization initiatives aimed at advancing culture change) increased its membership to be more inclusive and held regular monthly meetings to support ongoing culture change initiatives.

The organizational culture inventory project, which was used to identify current RCMP culture traits and key behaviours to drive measurable workplace culture change, concluded in 2022-23. Pilot projects undertaken in two divisions to consistently and authentically implement a set of key behaviours to impact culture change were successful. Many of the overall findings echo those articulated in external reports on RCMP culture, as well as organizational culture inventory projects conducted by other police organizations. Results provide information on systemic barriers for future attention and action, and provide a baseline for measuring future change. The key behaviours will be used to support the implementation of the renewed core values as an effective way to make the core values real and actionable. To further support RCMP’s culture change efforts, AIM facilitated four consultations with other organizations undertaking culture change initiatives to learn from their experiences and will continue to have these discussions in the upcoming year.

Innovation

The Innovation Hub increased its membership and continued to share information and promote innovation files across the organization. AIM was able to maximize spending under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program fund ($1.8M annually), completing two contracts for an inclusive respirator and for modernized handcuff designs.

International Association of Chiefs of Police Trust Campaign

To reaffirm its role in increasing public trust in policing, in 2022-23 the RCMP joined the International Association of Chiefs of Police Trust Campaign. ^{footnote 81} The campaign aims to enhance trust between police agencies and the communities they serve by ensuring positive community-police partnerships. It requires that police organizations pledge to adopt a series of specific policies and practices by December 2025, organized under six key themes: Bias-free Policing; Use of Force; Leadership and Culture; Recruitment, Hiring and Retention; Victim Services; and Community Relations. As of March 31, 2023, the RCMP has fully met 17 of the 25 commitments, and partially met five others.

External review of conduct measures

In 2022-23, the external expert review of RCMP conduct measures was completed and the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Final Reports ^{footnote 83} released.

In response, the Professional Responsibility Sector engaged internal and external stakeholders, including the Management Advisory Board for the RCMP, to assess the findings and recommendations stemming from the review. As a result, a modernized approach to disciplinary decision-making was initiated. It contributed to the establishment of a new decision-making model and structure and required the hiring of dedicated decision-makers and specialized legal support, as well as instituting progressive and ongoing training. These substantial changes are key to ensuring that RCMP employees are accountable for their actions and that consequences for established misconduct are consistent, meaningful, and appropriate.

In addition, progress continued on modernizing the RCMP’s Conduct Measures Guide, intended to provide direction to conduct authorities on the application of discipline and to align with developments in case law and superior court judgements. This is an important step to ensure conduct measures, and their application, meet modern expectations of fairness, transparency, and accountability.

Core values renewal

During 2022-23, consultations were held with employees, senior management, bargaining agents, business lines, and divisional representatives to renew the RCMP core values. ^{footnote 84} Gender-based Analysis Plus, along with Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and others, were engaged to ensure a diverse and inclusive representation of employees, nationally. The feedback received informed the development of the implementation strategy, which included a comprehensive environmental scan, an action plan, and governance recommendations.

Corporate Accounting, Policy and Control

In 2022-23, the Corporate Accounting, Policy and Control directorate:

• lead the national launch of digital signature acceptance for the Financial Administration Act on vendor invoices to adapt to virtual work and ensure IT controls could be relied upon
• modernized its training for relocation officers that support RCMP members in their relocations across the country
• provided new training to RCMP employees to improve understanding of the revised financial delegations matrix and on the use of hospitality
• performed analyses and worked with implicated stakeholders on compliance with the new accounting standard on Asset Retirement Obligations and the proper reporting of these in the departmental financial statements
• continued to advance the assessment of internal controls over financial management as per the RCMP’s ongoing monitoring plan

Greening Government

During the year, the RCMP took steps towards supporting the Government of Canada’s greening commitments. A few highlights include:

• developing net-zero carbon re-useable designs for small detachments, with support from the Centre for Greening Government at the Treasury Board Secretariat, which minimize construction costs
• leading the Interdepartmental Marine Fleet Low/Zero-Emission Initiative Project, which continued to examine the replacement of internal combustion engines with low or zero-emission engines for small vessels
• supporting National Resources Canada and the Centre for Greening Government to deploy zero-emission and clean-fuel powered vehicles by evaluating these on-road, light-duty vehicles in a law enforcement capacity

Procurement

The RCMP launched a Request for Proposal process for the body-worn camera program and subsequently awarded a contract to the highest ranked bidder for the provision of a Field Test Service in multiple detachments across three RCMP divisions. The Field Test is intended to allow the RCMP to validate the Contractor’s ability to meet contractual requirements in an operational environment prior to proceeding to full implementation and national roll-out.

The RCMP continues its initiative to modernize its service pistol, and has progressed through the beginning phases of an agile procurement process to review and refine its technical and operational requirements based on multiple Requests for Information and other consultative means to gather industry feedback.

Chart 1: Departmental spending trend