Infographic: The RCMP's Specialized Policing Services

Specialized Policing Services (SPS) provides critical frontline operational support services to the RCMP, provincial law enforcement and criminal justice partners, as well as national and select foreign organizations.

Specialized Policing Services has:

• An RCMP investment of $15&$160;million
• 114 specialized policing professionals in 21 areas of expertise, ready to deploy 24/7
• EDU 4 post-blast investigators, 5 explosives forced entry experts, and 5 homemade explosives investigators
• ERT 16 frontline specialists who undergo 1,000 hours of training annually
• STO 66 frontline policing specialists
• Air services plane, helicopter and drone

Major Crime Unit

Investigates serious crimes such as:

• New and unsolved homicides
• Attempted homicides
• Suspicious deaths and disappearances
• High-profile cases

Police Dog Services

Provides investigative support such as:

• Narcotics, firearms and explosives detection
• Tracking suspects and searching crime scenes
• Search and rescue operations

Crisis Negotiation Team

A highly-trained team deployed to de-escalate:

• Kidnappings
• Barricaded persons

Special Tactical Operations

A specially-trained team that responds to:

• Public order events and unlawful assemblies
• Natural or human-caused emergencies
• Major events and community safety patrols

Forensic Identification Services

Provides investigative support such as:

• Identification, collection, and preservation of physical evidence found at crime scenes
• Scientific analysis and interpretation of forensic evidence
• Forensic imaging services, including facial compositions, skull reconstructions, aging and restorations

Explosives Disposal Unit

Provides investigative support such as:

• Disarmament and disposal of improvised explosive devices and other devices
• Explosives clearance of buildings and automobiles for high-level VIP visits
• Disarmament and disposal of unwanted, abandoned, or illegal possession of commercial explosives

Integrated Technological Crime Unit

A highly-trained team tasked with providing:

• Specialized technological expertise for investigations into crimes using digital devices
• Forensic analysis of electronic media and digital devices
• Interpretation of digital data to support criminal intelligence

Underwater Recovery Team

Provides investigative support such as:

• Search and recovery
• Evidence retrieval

Emergency Response Team

A highly-trained team deployed to resolve high-risk situations such as:

• Armed and barricaded persons
• High-risk searches and arrests
• Aircraft or marine interventions
• VIP and witness protection duties

Internet Child Exploitation Unit

An integrated team with highly-trained investigators tasked with:

• Proactively and retroactively seeking out child predators online
• Locating and assisting child victims of sexual abuse
• Identifying those criminally responsible, capturing electronic evidence and recommending charges
• Conducting undercover and peer-to-peer investigations
• Leading provincial Internet Child Exploitation investigations, and liaising with national/international police forces and agencies