An Examination of Police Legitimacy in Canadian Policing

This essay delves into the multifaceted concept of police legitimacy in Canada, examining the crucial roles of police accountability, oversight, and governance. It begins by providing a historical context of policing in Canada, highlighting the shift from order maintenance to crime control and the importance of ensuring accountability through governance and oversight mechanisms. The essay explores the Canadian Association of Police Governance (CAPG) and the significance of police oversight in balancing police independence with public accountability. It then presents and analyzes three distinct models of police oversight: dependent, independent, and interdependent, discussing their respective advantages and disadvantages. The essay further examines police governance in specific Canadian police departments, including the RCMP and the Calgary Police Service, referencing recent news and reports on issues such as harassment and civilian oversight. The author expresses their opinion on the need for unbiased treatment, the protection of common people, and the importance of preventing abuse of power within police services. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for civilian involvement in ensuring fair practices within the police force.

Police Governance, Oversight and Accessibility
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Explanation Of Police Legitimacy By Focusing On Areas Like Police Accountability,
Oversight And Governance
Introduction
1650 is the year that first saw the emergence of police officers in Canada working in the Quebec
City where their duties were to protect the entire community as night watchmen. In present
scenario, three levels can be seen in terms of policing that are federal, municipal and provincial.
There are varied policing services in the country. The principal police roles as seen by the
citizens is order maintenance and crime control. Even after the existence of this perception, it is
seen that actions carried out for crime control do not consume much of officers’ time. Yet,
accountability is guaranteed by the police in this country through two methods that are police
governance and oversight.
Police Governance
CAPG or the Canadian Association of Police Governance is the only national body that is
responsible for police governance in the country. It aims in deriving police legitimacy by serving
the public through its conduct (Theglobeandmailcom, 2012).
Police Oversight
The Canadian society regards the police as the highest institution for the enforcement of law but
the police have to follow the similar rules as well. Police oversight is something that is carried
out for ensuring the rightful conduct by the police (Laming, 2017).
As it is known how important the police are in Canada, there must be a balance between the
police being accountable to public as well as varied government levels and police independence
from political meddling. The governance of public complaint organizations and police

associations is ensured through these mechanisms. Civilian participation in both bodies is
referred as police oversight.
Investigation of police by police
Dependent Model
 This model includes the investigation of cases like death and serious injury by
incorporating external police. However, the model sees the investigation of allegations in
opposition to own members (Parent, 2012).
 An incorporated regional team amasses for the undertaking of investigations
 No civilian involvement can be seen in this model
 Lower costs, investigators being affluent in organizational values happen to be some of
the benefits.
Independent model
 The investigator body in this model is civilians, who on attaining complaints conduct the
entire investigation. The investigator body operates the inquiry on its own.
 As per the public, it is a very effective model as complete accountability is ensured due to
the independence experienced by the investigators.
 Citizens can complain about any misconduct by officers in a free way
 As per the negatives, investigators in this model the investigators might not apprehend
the police culture and techniques in the correct manner.

Interdependent model
 This model incorporates the investigation of accusations by investigators against their
own associates.
 Also, it includes self-regulating oversight of exploration that makes the investigation
balanced.
 As per the criticisms, the police might not always co-operate in the investigations and
might be reluctant to directions given by civilians.
All these three models are carried out in various jurisdictions for investigating the police and are
highly significant.
Police governance in few police departments
RCMP
RCMP or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is simultaneously a nationwide police force as
well as federal force of Canada. Though it is accountable for offering federal law enforcement
via Canada, it also enforces usual laws that include the implementation of Criminal Code.
Provincial forces and managed by Quebec and Ontario that are the two highest populous
provinces (Anonymous, 2017).
 The governance model that can be seen in RCMP reflects various positive cultural
alterations within the association.
 The year 1974 saw the changing of the portrait of a male dominant organization when the
police force welcomed the primary female group at Depot.

 However, the members of the police force often fail to safeguard Canadians in the correct
way because of their deprived mental health as they are ill treated.
Calgary Police Service
The Calgary Police Service is answerable to the civilian body called Calgary Police Commission.
The commission introduces policies that guarantee effective policing. The commission also hires
the Chief of Police (Wright, 2016).
 The Calgary Police Service is poorly known for its poor reputation as there are many
instances of retaliation and bullying that has been reported.
Recent news on RCMP Governance
Bob Paulson is the top cop of Canada who is just six weeks away from his retirement. As per the
cop, he said that there is no requirement for civilian supremacy of police force so that the office
harassment issues can be dealt with (Crawford, 2017). In reply to that, Michael Ferguson who is
the auditor general of Canada slammed the police by stating facts about it are till treatment
towards its employees.
Sheila Fraser who was the previous auditor general and Michael Ferguson both suggested the
legislation of RCMP oversight and civilian governance by the federal government.
As per my opinion, both the civilians and the police force must be unbiased irrespective of the
situation and must be able to protest against bullying and other kind of harassment. Police
services are about protecting the common people and not misusing its power.

Referencing
Anonymous. (2017). Civilian review and complaints commission for the rcmp. Retrieved 25
September, 2017, from https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en/police-investigating-police-final-public-
report
Crawford, A. (2017). CBC News. Retrieved 25 September, 2017, from
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/paulson-rcmp-harassment-reports-1.4118413

Laming, E. (2017). Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 25 September, 2017, from
http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/laming-heres-how-canada-could-properly-police-
the-police
Parent, R. (2012). Accountability and Investigation. InMccartney, S (Ed), Ethics in Law
Enforcement (pp.)
Theglobeandmail. (2012). Theglobeandmailcom. Retrieved 25 September, 2017, from
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/canadas-police-among-the-best-paid-in-the-
world/article535381/?arc404=true\
Wright, S. (2016). Susan on the Soapbox. Retrieved 25 September, 2017, from
https://susanonthesoapbox.com/2016/10/30/the-calgary-police-service-allegations-of-
harassment-and-intimidation/