Retired RCMP Commissioner Zaccardelli talks about what he learned about Canada, and himself, during his career (Q-and-A)

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Giuliano 'Zack' Zaccardelli was a member of the RCMP for almost 37 years and served as the 20th Commissioner from 2000 until his retirement in 2006. During his career, he was passionate about finding solutions for organized crime, public safety, and security issues. In this third installment of our Commissioners Q-and-A series, Gazette writer Meagan Massad spoke to Zaccardelli about his experiences investigating white collar crime, combatting threats of terrorism following 9/11, and developing a vision for the organization.

When did you know you wanted a career with the RCMP?

I had always wanted to join the RCMP. I grew up reading stories about Mounties and their conquests. After high school I was inclined to sign up right away but a gut feeling told me to first get some sort of higher level of education. So that's what I did. I went to university and got a four-year degree in business administration. In 1970 I joined the RCMP.

In what field did you work after graduating from Depot?

Just after I joined the organization I started working in white-collar crime. At the time, I was a constable in Alberta. They happened to be looking for new recruits with business degrees and I was grateful I'd gone to university because I had a real interest in commercial crime. I liked working in it and excelled at it.

What did you learn from policing across Canada?

Two things. First, the diversity of the communities. I love that Canada allows us to be different yet we are bound together by the fact we are a peaceful, generous, and kind country.

The second thing I learned is that Mounties have an understanding of big and small communities because we work and are part of them. Not many people get to experience the full country like we do.

What was your first big promotion?

My first promotion was to a corporal after six years of service. I was promoted and moved to Toronto in the commercial crime section. I was very fortunate for this opportunity because it usually takes constables at least nine years to earn a promotion.

What helped you evolve as a police officer?

Because of the seven years I spent in Toronto in the commercial crime section I was able to "find myself." When I was younger, I had doubts in myself. I always used to wonder if I was good enough or if I'd be able to meet the standards as a police officer. But, by working as a corporal in commercial crime I was able to develop confidence in my abilities and knowledge. I was in a career I was very passionate about. The job allowed me the opportunity to hone my skills, it allowed me to learn lots about policing, and it allowed me to travel and learn about the different provinces that the RCMP serves.

What put you on the path to becoming Commissioner?

I was the criminal operations officer in both New Brunswick and Quebec, and was responsible for all the criminal operations. There I began to formulate my ideas of what eventually became my vision for the RCMP.

It's one thing to question or criticize how an organization is working, but it's another to consider how to improve it. It was in this time I started to putting my thoughts together and make them into a vision.

What was your vision?

It was for the RCMP to be an intelligence-led organization that was strategically integrated - not just within our own organization but with other policing organizations in Canada. What that means is when an organization is integrated like this it can communicate better with other policing partners and leverage those partnerships to work together as a seamless team.

Were you able to put it into practice?

Yes, during the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York. Every Commissioner has a crisis that they have to overcome in their career, and this was mine. It was the first time we worked like that with our partners to leverage our collective resources. There was no more fighting over whose jurisdiction it was. It was amazing to see how the integrated approach of communicating amongst each other strengthened our policing.

What would you say to someone just starting out in the field?

Be open to any opportunity or experience the organization might present to you.

When I first joined I had only lived in Montreal. It was the only place I knew. When my first posting was in St. Paul, Alberta, I had no idea what to expect! It was a small community and I was working with Indigenous communities in the area. And let me tell you, I absolutely loved my experiences out there. I gained more friends in St. Paul, a population of only 3,500 people, than I'd had my whole life in Montreal.

Any advice for someone considering a career with the RCMP?

There's such a big world out there for people to experience - just put yourself out there! It's not where you end up that's important, it's the attitude that you have while you're there. That's why I love the RCMP because it gives people from one part of the country the opportunity to interact with people in other parts of the country. From what I know most, Mounties love that experience.