I couldn’t resist Michael Smyth’s January 30 article in the Victoria Times Colonist. (B.C. Solicitor General talks of ousting RCMP). Kash Heed is hitting bulls eyes in his role as the province’s new “top cop”.
The catalyst for the piece was the fact that the Ministry responsible for law enforcement had not been informed of the news relating to Sgt. Derek Brassington, a key investigator attached to the “Surrey Six” investigation who is romantically linked to a witness on the case. The Force had been aware of this development since December, and chose not to immediately alert the responsible Minister to the fact that this had occurred.
With sincere and heartfelt respect to the thousands of men and women in the RCMP doing a great job on the ground here in British Columbia, their senior ranks are beyond dysfunctional. The culture of the executive level of the Force requires that, to continue to be promoted, one must never question those occupying ranks above. The predictable outcome is a secret society of milksops and bootlickers. Mr. Smyth is absolutely correct in reporting that the convoluted reporting relationship for the RCMP in British Columbia needs immediate re-examination. For this storied organization to continue to ask “how high?” when its National Headquarters tells it to jump, is not consistent with what BC residents should expect in their provincial police force. As Solicitor General Heed states, “in this next contract, we want to deliver the most accountable, transparent and effective police service possible.”
This is obviously a highly charged issue for many close observers of the law enforcement landscape in BC. This government is very well positioned to demand significant concessions from the RCMP in the upcoming contract negotiations. A renewal of the provincial policing contract in 2012 is inevitable at this late stage, given the magnitude of the task of replacing the Force within a mere two years.
Mr. Heed is, I am sure, regularly bombarded with advice in terms of how best to address this complex issue. Of one thing I am certain. The contract currently under negotiation will not result in the provincial government being painted into a corner for 20 years as it has been under the existing agreement. I would strongly suggest that the Ministry incorporates maximum flexibility into the document to allow for a smooth and careful transition to a policing model that works best for British Columbians. In 20 years, it is reasonable to expect that a Mountie uniform will be a tough thing to find here in Lotusland.
If a true leadership culture had existed within the senior ranks of the RCMP, this may not have been necessary.