Canada-U.S. Shiprider
Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations (more commonly referred to as Shiprider) represents a cooperative approach to combating cross border crime on Canada and United States shared waterways. The program can only take place in undisputed, shared waterways along the Canada-United States border (internal waters or the sea) and designated officers only maintain their status during the course of a Shiprider operation. Officers from Canadian and United States law enforcement agencies are required to undergo joint training in order to participate in the Canada-U.S. Shiprider operations. This mandatory training includes completion of in-class seminars, case-study scenarios, and understanding criminal laws, privacy laws, and policies of both Canada and the United States.
How the Canada-U.S. Shiprider works
Canada-U.S. Shiprider involves vessels jointly crewed by specially trained and designated Canadian and United States law enforcement officers who are authorized to enforce the law on both sides of the international boundary line. Working together, armed Canadian and United States law enforcement officers are able to transit back and forth across the border to help secure it from threats to national security, as well as prevent cross-border smuggling and trafficking.
Specific enforcement activities consist of detecting, monitoring and potentially boarding vessels in either Canadian or American waters. Operations are conducted under the direction and control of law enforcement officers of the "host" country, assisted by the specially trained and cross-designated law enforcement officers of the "visiting" country.
In Canadian waters, Canada-U.S. Shiprider operations are subject to Canadian laws, policies and procedures and all operations are undertaken under the direction and control of the RCMP. RCMP vessels designated as Canada-U.S. Shiprider vessels have a member of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) on board and are able to enter United States waters to enforce United States laws under the supervision of the USCG member.
Likewise, USCG vessels designated as Canada-U.S. Shiprider vessels have a member of the RCMP on board and can enter Canadian waters to enforce Canadian laws under the supervision of the RCMP officer.
By authorizing these officials to operate on either side of the border, the USCG and RCMP have developed a more efficient means of securing both sides of the border without violating the sovereignty of either nation.
In addition, the Commissioner of the RCMP, or his delegate, has the ability to revoke the appointment of a designated officer. The 2009 Canada-United States Framework Agreement on Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations (Shiprider) stipulates that any necessary disciplinary action will be taken by the designated officer's agency.
All designated officers are subject to Canadian laws while operating in Canada and would be subject to criminal prosecution for any criminal wrongdoings.
Designated officers from the United States are subject to the same public complaints mechanisms (Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP) as members of the RCMP.
Although the USCG does arm many of the vessels in its fleet with mounted guns, none of the vessels used during Canada-U.S. Shiprider operations are equipped with mounted guns.
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