The red-coated, broad-hatted Mountie has become one of the
most widely recognized symbols of Canada. The colourful Royal
Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) musical ride, an exhibition on
horseback set to music, is a popular attraction in Canada and
abroad.
But the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is not simply a part
of the Canadian mythology, and its activities are not confined
to equestrian displays. The RCMP is Canada's national police
force, and it has earned an international reputation as one of
the best in the world.
Origins
The RCMP was established more than a century ago as the North-West
Mounted Police, a "temporary" experiment in rural policing.
In the early days of Canada's settlement, there was no major
police force. At the time of Canada's Confederation in 1867,
the largest cities of Montreal and Toronto had few full-time
constables. Only the small Dominion Police force upheld federal
laws. Small towns and rural areas, however, had no police: laws
were enforced by temporary court-appointed constables or soldiers.
In 1870, when Canada bought the land north of the U.S. border
between the Great Lakes and the Rocky Mountains, the Canadian
government decided a law enforcement agency was needed. In this
vast, sparsely populated area, the sudden large influx of settlers
could lead to violence, if not handled properly. The Canadian
government wanted a better way to deal with land settlement and
was concerned that the Aboriginal peoples should be treated fairly.
The Government decided to create a para-military police force
to maintain order until the western lands were occupied by settlers
who respected traditional institutions. This force, established
in 1873, came to be called the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP).
It was intended that it be disbanded once the territory was settled
peacefully.
At first there were 150 recruits to the force, but this was
soon increased to 300. The NWMP officers covered their territory
on horseback and wore their now-famous red tunics.
Transition
Over the years, the NWMP established close relations with the
Aboriginal peoples, preparing them for treaty negotiations and
mediating conflicts with the settlers.
The force was increased to 500 in 1883 and given new responsibilities,
including the duty of preserving the peace during the construction
of the Canadian Pacific Railway. After the 1885 Métis
uprising led by Louis Riel, the NWMP increased again to a 1000-member
force.
A full-scale gold rush in the Yukon at the turn of the century
carried the potential for violence as prospectors converged from
all over the world into the territory. The presence of the NWMP
ensured the gold rush was orderly.
By this time, the NWMP was tacitly accepted as a permanent
institution. In 1904, King Edward VII added the term "Royal"
to the force's name in recognition of its services to the Crown.
In 1920, the RNWMP became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and
was officially expanded into a national police force.
In 1928, the RCMP began performing police duties in areas
beyond federal jurisdiction on contract with different provinces
and municipalities. Canada's Constitution defines law enforcement
as a provincial responsibility. But a majority of provinces decided
they could meet this responsibility most effectively through
the services of the RCMP.
The RCMP's role is essentially that of "keeping the peace,"
but it has made important contributions to Canada's efforts in
times of war. Members served overseas during both World Wars.
The RCMP Today
Today the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is headed by a commissioner
who reports to the federal government and to the Attorneys-General
of those provinces where the RCMP provides provincial police
services.
With more than 16 000 peace officers and about 5000 civilian
employees, the force maintains six crime detection laboratories
across Canada and a computerized police information centre in
Ottawa. The RCMP also maintains a training academy in Regina
and the Canadian Police College in Ottawa, which offers advanced
courses to members of other police forces in Canada and around
the world.
The major responsibilities of the RCMP are outlined below.
The RCMP acts as the municipal police force in about 200
Canadian cities and towns.
The force has contract agreements to provide provincial police
services in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and 8 of Canada's
10 provinces (Ontario and Quebec have their own police forces).
The RCMP enforces about 140 federal laws and statutes dealing
with narcotics, commercial crime, immigration and passport control,
customs and excise and counterfeiting.
The RCMP represents Canada internationally as a member of
the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). The
force has 30 liaison agents in foreign countries.
The RCMP is playing a major role as part of UNSMIH, the United
Nations peacekeeping and development mission in Haiti, by helping
train Haiti's National Police. In fact, it was an RCMP officer
who was the first UN civilian police chief.
In 1984, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
took over the intelligence-gathering responsibilities of the
RCMP. The RCMP, however, is still responsible for enforcing national
security.
Over the years the RCMP has evolved from a small, temporary,
rural police force to one of international standing. Yet, throughout
its history, it has always emphasized the peaceful settlement
of differences, using force only as a last resort. True to its
motto - Maintiens le droit or "Maintain the Right"
- the RCMP continues to be a distinctive symbol of Canada not
only to Canadians, but to the world.
