RCMP launches new project to tackle systematic racism

Image Source: @rcmpgrcpolice/Twitter

(Aanchal Nigam / Red Maple)

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced a new initiative to address systemic racism within its ranks. 

The Race-Based Data Collection pilot project is set to begin in January 2024. It marks a crucial effort by the RCMP to enhance its understanding of the interactions between its frontline officers and Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities.

RCMP said in a news release that the project was announced following two years of comprehensive consultations across Canada.

The Race-Based Data Collection project is poised to start in selected detachments, aiming to gather, analyse, and report race-based data. 

The pilot will initially roll out in Whitehorse, Yukon (M Division); Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray), Alberta (K Division); and Thompson, Manitoba (D Division). 

Later this year, it will extend to one site in British Columbia (E Division) and one in Nova Scotia (H Division). 

These locations were chosen after extensive public consultations in 2022 and 2023, RCMP said. The project will test processes and make necessary adjustments in anticipation of a future nationwide rollout.

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme expressed that this initiative is a key milestone in evolving the RCMP into a more modern and inclusive policing organization.

 "The initiative isn't about singling out individuals. It's about helping us identify and improve our policies, practices, and training to better support our employees," he said. 

The Commissioner underscored the importance of evidence-based solutions in empowering the RCMP to serve communities more effectively.

In 2022, the RCMP received federal funding dedicated to addressing systemic racism and discrimination. The newest project is part of those efforts, aiming to provide insight and address systemic racism and racial biases arising from RCMP policies and practices.

All public interactions by RCMP employees are guided by the RCMP's Bias-Free Policing Policy, which upholds principles of non-discrimination and equitable treatment. The collection and management of race-based data align with the RCMP's responsibilities under the Privacy Act and RCMP Act. This data will be collected for one year before being analyzed and publicly reported in a summarised and de-identified format to ensure individual privacy.