Murphy’s Logic: More RCMP isn’t the solution for better policing

Steve Murphy offers his thoughts on Nova Scotia’s plan to increase the size of the RCMP.

Actions speak louder than words. They’re usually a lot slower in coming and often disappointing.

So it is that more than five years after the Nova Scotia mass murders, and more than two years after the final report of the commission that looked into those deadly events, the Nova Scotia government has finally responded to repeated complaints about policing in the province – particularly in rural areas. Dramatic shortcomings in RCMP staffing levels, command structure, poor response times and communication have long formed the basis of those complaints. They predate the mass murder by decades but were all clearly on display during those desperate hours in April 2020 and in the days, weeks and months since.

Even many of the critics of the inquiry commission were surprised if not impressed when its final report was critical of the RCMP response, reiterating calls for significant reform.

It’s fair to say that the RCMP was fingered as a large part of the problem in policing.

Which is why it is so surprising that as part of its solution, the N.S. government is now proposing an even larger role for the RCMP. The Attorney General says municipal police forces that are unable come up to new uniform standards set by the province will need to switch to the RCMP.

That begs the question, why is the government confident that the RCMP, which has long failed to meet the public’s expectations in rural policing, the right agency to usher in new and expanded standards?

A consultant’s report recommended that Nova Scotia look at creating a single provincial police force and even suggested a stand-alone force not involving the RCMP whatsoever. Short of that, perhaps such a provincial force could serve all of those areas now served by the RCMP and others found to be lacking high-quality municipal forces.

That’s likely more easily said than done… or paid for. But it would go a long way toward restoring public confidence in rural policing which is now sadly synonymous with the RCMP, the brand and its shortcomings.