The number of Mounties facing disciplinary action has reached a 13-year high, new RCMP figures show.
An annual report showed that there was a balance of 144 cases in the 2012-2013 fiscal year, in which formal disciplinary action was taken against a member of the force. The figure was highlighted as a “notable increase” over the 13-year average of 96 cases.
The types of offences documented in the report ranged from neglect of work duties, to inappropriate behaviour such as impaired driving, sexual assault and excessive force.
In one case described in the report, an on-duty corporal allegedly attempted to use his or her RCMP status to avoid impaired driving charges. In another, which was described as “improper use of a police vehicle,” an on-duty constable was accused of engaging in sexual acts with another member of the force. In many cases, the accused was reprimanded and had to forfeit several days’ pay.
A corporal with 22 years of service was reprimanded for a physical altercation with a member of the public, which resulted in two days’ of docked pay.
In another case, a staff sergeant with 25 years of service was disciplined for providing false or misleading information in relation to a compensation claim.
The Adjudication Services Branch carried over 128 cases from the previous fiscal year, a figure that was also “well above” the 13-year average of 86, the report stated. This was attributed to a “significantly heavier workload.”
The number of cases withdrawn, and the cases “disposed of” due to resignation, were also higher than the 13-year average.
In the report, RCMP said new directives from top RCMP personnel may account for the spike in disciplinary cases.
“It was observed in last year’s report that increased scrutiny and the stated expectations of the new Commissioner might lead to an increase in both the number of formal discipline cases and suspensions,” the report reads. “This may well have been an accurate forecast.”
