I can’t defend RCMP Commissioner William Elliott as I have not been impressed with him at all but I really doubt that these complaints would have been made if he was a rank-and-file RCMP officer. (see here)
Where were these “senior Mounties” during the Giuliano Zaccardelli years (see here and here)? You’d have thought that at least one of these officers would have spoken up then right?
July 27, 2010 at 2:01 PM
He has as much business heading the RCMP as a civilian would as the Chief of Defense Staff. None.
He could spend a lifetime hanging around cops, but until he stands on one side of a door in the worst part of town, wondering what he is going to face on the other side of that door, he cannot hope to understand the words “police officer”.
July 27, 2010 at 6:11 PM
The RCMP have become a disgrace over the years. The only way to fix it is to tear it apart from the top down and rebuild it again. Also, get rid of those dumb scarlet uniforms and the boy scout hats, they are laughable.
July 27, 2010 at 6:16 PM
Their’s nothing new or relevent in this matter, this is a practice that goes back to the dawn of man, bitching about your boss? why would anyway ever think of doing something so horrible…..
Besides RCMP culture is to complain about the guy above you until he gets his promotion and transfered out. Then a new guy gets into position, rinse and repeat. but really isn’t that every organization?
July 27, 2010 at 6:41 PM
Is it, perchace, just possible that those doing all the complaining were the compliasant ones during the Zaccardelli regime? And who didn’t get the big P when Zaccardelli bit the dust?
Methinks what is coming out is the bitching of the political Mounties in admin. Need to get rid of the whole lot of them, and bring in the honest, competent ones who have the guts to tell the truth and stand up to politicians when appropriate.
July 27, 2010 at 9:25 PM
Too many liberals in the RCMP is the problem.
July 27, 2010 at 9:53 PM
It’s really hard to say where the truth lies in this matter, but one of my first thoughts when I heard about this is: does it have anything to do with Elliott being a civillian who was charged with fixing what’s wrong with the RCMP? Could it be that the horsemen just can’t take orders from a civillian? Are they trying to protect their turf?
Maybe Elliott is an A-hole – so what, he’s still the boss, learn to live with it or find a new job.
One thing that all Canadian police need is civillian oversight, whether they like it or not. Perhaps if they had more of it in the past we wouldn’t have Polish tourists killed at the airport for being confused. Or the G20 spectical in the Peoples Republic of Toronto.
July 27, 2010 at 10:57 PM
I think there probably is a problem with his leadership style, which may be interacting with his civilian status, turf positioning of his sub-ordinates, and some unwelcome policy ideas for the NCR folks.
No doubt that the RCMP has been under a cloud, but I think the gov has taken the correct course on this leader issue. Bring the issue in-house and having a look-see by someone outside of the fray to give advice to the Minister makes sense to me.
July 28, 2010 at 6:27 AM
Get back to taking the best applicants for the job and forget political correctness would improve the force immensely. Bilingualism,gender, minorities do not contribute to getting excellence in the force if used as a major requirement.
How can you deny officers the use of Tasers when some are 120 lb. weaklings?
July 28, 2010 at 8:42 AM
What the hell is the RCMP supposed to do anymore? The last time I checked they do the job of rural policing, highway patrol, marine patrol and also aircraft patrol. On top of that, they are supposedly fighting terrorism, drug smuggling, and white collar and organized crimes. This is a seriously dysfunctional, money-sucking organization that is lacking any sense of direction or mission. Reform the RCMP into an effective national security agency along the likes of the FBI and Scotland Yard.
July 28, 2010 at 11:04 AM
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