Head Mountie Says Current Laws Prevent Firings of Bad Cops

[Winston_Smith]

RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson told Postmedia news Thursday that current legislation actually makes it harder for the force to get rid of officers engaged in disreputable conduct like former Alberta Mountie Sgt. Donald Ray.

And Paulson slammed Ray’s behaviour, which was revealed only after leaks in Alberta about an adjudication board into his conduct.

Paulson called Ray’s conduct a ”sorry, sad and shameful set of facts.” And the RCMP commissioner said the case underscores a need to revamp the RCMP’s disciplinary system, which requires legislative changes to be made.

It has been a bad week for the RCMP, with more charges revealed against a former Merrit Mountie who has quit after being accused of stealing cocaine from a storage locker.

A Coquitlam Mountie who assaulted a motorist got a conditional discharge Thursday

But the Ray story is the talk of the town – not only because of the serious conduct, but also because he got transferred to the Lower Mainland where allegations of sexual misconduct have already led Cpl. Catherine Galliford and others to file lawsuits against the force.

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/05/24/head-mountie-says-current-laws-prevent-firings-of-bad-cops/

[MAPearce]

After watching tonight's newscast.....Bob Paulson is what the RCMP need....

[logicalview]

Try and fire a teacher.

Or a paramedic.

Or a fireman.

Or a BCGEU employee.

See how that goes.

[twobits]

Try and fire a teacher.

Or a paramedic.

Or a fireman.

Or a BCGEU employee.

See how that goes.

Only two ways to fire the above. Get caught stealing or anything to do with sex and minors. Everything else will be a one week suspension and tax payer funded counselling, education program, or rehab.

[MAPearce]

Only two ways to fire the above. Get caught stealing or anything to do with sex and minors. Everything else will be a one week suspension and tax payer funded counselling, education program, or rehab.

Can't fire an RCMP member for that ...They get payed vacation before their transfer and exoneration...

[KL3-Something]

Only two ways to fire the above. Get caught stealing or anything to do with sex and minors. Everything else will be a one week suspension and tax payer funded counselling, education program, or rehab.

Can't fire an RCMP member for that ...They get payed vacation before their transfer and exoneration...

Actually the only sure fire (so to speak) ways to get fired from the RCMP are stealing exhibits (that's why the Merritt member quit before he got fired), overtime/expense claim fraud (like the Sgt and S/Sgt from the Surrey Six investigation) and CPIC violations. I (and most other members) believe that when a loser like RAY who routinely made choices for his own personal gain to the detriment of the Canadian people and to the force itself only gets a demotion and a transfer while a member who made a mistake in the heat of the moment gets suspended without pay for two years while waiting for a resolution through the courts, the law NEEDS to change.

[MAPearce]

The entire RCMP act needs to be thrown out, IMO...To think that scumbags like Ray and the rest of the butt pinching slobs in the RCMP are protected by an act of parliament is just sad...

[c2c]

“No matter how thin you make a pancake, there are always two sides.”

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op ... story.html

[erinmore3775]

THE PUBLIC PURSE
RCMP Commissioner had staff stand guard at his wedding

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... n=97240756

While Commissioner Paulson may truly feel that changes in legislation are required to provide sufficient disciplinary measures for officers of the RCMP, he certainly is not setting the example needed to change attitudes within in the force. On August 16, he had an honour guard of on duty officers attend his wedding.

"...When pressed for clarification, Cpl. Falls acknowledged the wedding in fact happened “in the middle of the [modified] shift” and that the commissioner requested an honour guard. But the spokesman insisted the trainees “were polled for their possible interest in this event. They were not assigned.” Again, sources familiar with the situation say that in fact they were assigned and did not volunteer.

While the officers were not pulled from active police work – they are spending the year learning to ride and care for horses before joining the ceremonial riding team next year – they were assigned to attend a private function on their employer’s time, to the benefit of their boss.."

"...Tim Killam, a retired deputy commissioner with the RCMP, pointed out the officers pulled in for wedding duty were performing a ceremonial role in their regular day jobs in the first place, and that RCMP officers regularly show up at sporting events and other public forums as part of their assigned duties to do little more than stand upright and look iconic. “We do honour guard all over across this country because people look at the RCMP as a national symbol. How do you say no to that?” he said. “We’ve been doing it forever and people want it. People are proud of traditions. This is a duty I would think [the trainees] would want to do. It’s a great gig. It’s this, or what do you do back at the stable?”

While it is true that RCMP officers often perform ceremonial roles at public functions (eg sporting events like the Grey Cup or Stanley Cup, events involving foreign dignitaries, or government events like the opening of Parliament) these are public events not private events. Yes, I have seen RCMP officers in their dress uniforms at private gatherings and even in honour guards, but they were always off duty, not on a modified shift, and wearing their dress uniforms with permission of their commanding officers.

Paulson, and I must say many members of the the current federal cabinet, demonstrate a severe disjoint with the conduct expected by "Joe Public" and what they feel is their entitlement. This type of leadership shown by Paulson is going to make it extremely hard for significant changes to be made in the RCMP.