Canadian Labour Reporter

now trained in the use of patrol carbines — including 25 per cent of front-line members, with a tar- get of 50 per cent set for the end of 2016 — and the force has since ac- quired more than 4,000 carbines. The RCMP also said it had in- troduced enhanced Immediate Action Rapid Deployment (IARD) training and improved its services related to the aftercare of those impacted by critical events. "We have learned from this tragedy. The work that has been done and continues today will ensure a positive legacy from the most tragic circumstances," said deputy commissioner Janice Arm- strong. Changes a good start For Rob Creasser, head of the Mounted Police Professional As- sociation — which is vying to become the official certified bar- gaining agent for front-line of- ficers — the changes are a good start, but they should have come sooner. He cites the incident in Mayer- thorpe, Alta., more than a decade ago in which four RCMP officers were killed after being shot with semi-automatic assault rifles by a gunman who later killed himself after being wounded by an officer. "The force is finally making good progress on things like train- ing and equipment like the patrol carbine, and I think they've been almost embarrassed into doing that because there's been further loss of life," Creasser said. "What gets lost in all of these recommendations is the fact that previous recommendations in regard to Mayerthorpe were not implemented in a timely manner." Some of the recommenda- tions in the MacNeil report re- flect health and safety concerns of his association, Creasser said, but until the Mounted Police Profes- sional Association is recognized as the official bargaining agent, their voices have fallen on deaf ears. "Our association has been ad- vocating for better workplace safe- ty for decades. The problem is we were never officially recognized by management, and we're still not — even though the existing labour program is rapidly coming to an end," he said. Creasser said he is eagerly awaiting a federal bill that will establish the framework for col- lective bargaining in the national police force, and is expected to be tabled at the end of the month. "But when we become the cer- tified bargaining agent, manage- ment will have no choice but to listen to us and hear our concerns," he added. Staffing levels Terry McKee, a retired Moncton RCMP supervisor of the two con- stables who died in 2014, agreed with Creasser, calling the progress report "news and activity that is a little too late." "These things should have happened shortly after the May- erthorpe incident because we did lose other members between Mayerthorpe and Moncton by powered firearms as well," McKee said, adding he was disappointed neither the RCMP's progress re- port nor the MacNeil recommen- dations focused on staffing levels. MacNeil's report dealt mainly with supervision, training, equip- ment and technology, communi- cation and aftercare. McKee said resources would "be better spent wisely, towards the safety and the training of our front-line members," adding that, "staffing was an issue." "I knew there was staffing issues and training issues prior to me re- tiring in 2013. I tried to bring those issues up with local management and it fell on deaf ears. So when this happened, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I didn't speak up," he said. Roger Brown, the RCMP's com- manding officer for New Bruns- wick, said staffing levels were not a concern in the province and there are an adequate number of officers available to do the job. "People in jobs like mine have to ensure that we do what we can with what we have," he said. "Ob- viously, there are times when we move resources around based on the priorities and needs." Brown added that the 2014 shooting was a rare incident, and there were many lessons learned. "It's impossible for any police organization to be able to ad- equately resource for an incident of that magnitude. You can't even think along those lines. The fact of the matter is, when something happens, you have to be able to respond, and respond as best you can." 7 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2016 CANADIAN LABOUR REPORTER NEWS < RCMP pg. 1 RCMP changes too, little too late: Mountie association Photo: Christinne Muschi (Reuters) Constables Dave Ross, Douglas Larche and Fabrice Gevaudan of the RCMP were killed in June 2014 after a deadly shooting that wounded two other officers. In the wake of the incident, the RCMP has promised to improve its weapons arsenal and training efforts. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I didn't speak up."

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