July 26, 2022
Halifax, NS — Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation, regarding today’s Mass Casualty Commission testimony from RCMP Chief Superintendent Darren Campbell:
“The NPF welcomes comments made by a senior RCMP officer under oath at the Mass Casualty Commission today.
Chief Superintendent Darren Campbell, who was the Support Services Officer (Superintendent) for the Nova Scotia RCMP during the April 2020 mass casualty event and investigation, responded to questions from Commission and participants’ counsel during live testimony over the past two days.
As Chief Supt. Campbell explained to the Commission, the RCMP subsidizes municipal police agencies in Nova Scotia by providing specialized services on an as-needed basis, including the Emergency Response Team, Emergency Medical Response Team, Critical Incident Commanders, Crisis Negotiators, and others.
These services are provided with no cost recovery to the RCMP, resulting in a draw of resources from detachment-level policing in RCMP communities, as well as demands on the Critical Incident Program. This pressure is ultimately borne by our Members, who operate in an inadequately resourced environment and in the communities that they serve.
The NPF welcomed Chief Supt. Campbell’s evidence, which confirmed needs identified by many responding Members who testified previously. In particular, he emphasized the need for increased resources and improved equipment and technology for public and officer safety, including:
- Adequate staffing of general duty Members at the detachment level, including in rural and remote communities, by providing a “buffer” for expected leave entitlements, training and court appearances, as well as unexpected leaves for injury or illness;
- Full-time resources for units which make up the Critical Incident Package;
- Technology to enhance global situational awareness and a common operating picture among Members during a critical incident; and
- Increased interoperability between policing agencies in Nova Scotia, including policing standards, training, communications, and technology.
The National Police Federation has consistently advocated across all levels of government for increased human resources and modernized equipment across the country, including here in Nova Scotia, to ensure readiness for all possibilities.
“The most effective police staffing models, in my experience, plan for the worst and hope for the best,” said Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation. “As the labour representative for most RCMP Members in Nova Scotia, the NPF seeks recommendations from the Commission which promote officer and public safety. Chief Supt. Campbell’s evidence recognizes the need for improved resources and equipment for RCMP Members, and is consistent with the experiences of our Members.”
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. The NPF is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada; the second largest in North America and is the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.
The NPF is focused on improving public safety in Canada by increasing resources, equipment, training, and other supports for our Members who have been under-funded for far too long. Better resourcing and supports for the RCMP will enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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Media contact:
Fabrice de Dongo
Manager, Media Relations
fdedongo@npf-fpn.com
(647) 274-7118