A law enforcement specialist with the United Nations in Kosovo
stated that the Canadian police were the best trained and most
professional of all police officers he had encountered . This
included police officers from virtually every area of the world.
I won't presume to know for certain if the Canadian police are
actually the best in the world, but there is a logical reason why
they are amongst the most efficient.
The history of Canada is a significant factor. Before the vast
Canadian west and the northern territories were occupied by
settlers, the North West Mounted Police were created and sent to
establish law and order. The North West Mounted Police, now called
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), were seen both as friends
and protectors of the citizens who settled the west and north.
Besides police duties, they provided food and clothing to the
destitute, delivered mail and administered basic medical services
where qualified medical staff were not available. These historical
events resulted in the Canadian police being held in high esteem by
the citizens of Canada.
The criminal justice system in Canada has evolved into a system
whereby the rights of persons who commit criminal offences take
priority over the safety of its citizens. Canada has a "Charter of
Rights and Freedoms" to protect citizens from over zealous and
officious government officials, including the police. Unfortunately,
it has made the job of the police very difficult. Despite the
Charter's intentions, in reality, it basically serves to protect
criminals from being brought to Justice. The police in Canada do not
have much more power than the average citizen. The police cannot
require a person to identify themselves, and when the police ask a
citizen a question, they are not required to answer. In fact, the
courts have ruled that the police may not even ask a question of a
person suspected of committing a crime once the suspect indicates
they do not wish to talk. A person who has been arrested for
committing a crime is usually released by the courts within a few
hours and is free until their trial date. Needless to say, many of
these people never return for their trial.
Sentencing by the courts in Canada is very lenient. Most
offenders are not sent to prison and often are not even required to
pay a fine. This includes people who have committed serious crimes
such as theft, burglary, assault and drug trafficking. Violent
psychopaths are treated with the same leniency as non-violent
criminals. It is not unusual for a person who commits homicide to
serve no more than two or three years in prison, sometimes only a
few months. Needless to say, there is no deterrent effect present in
the Canadian Criminal Justice System. Very few criminals are afraid
of this System. Even those criminals who are sent to prison usually
serve only one-third of the sentence given them by the judge.
Canada has a relatively high crime rate including a great deal of
violent crime. Whether this is related to Canada's close proximity
to the USA, the poverty of some segments of the population, its
"wild west" origins or its own criminal justice system, is open for
speculation. Probably the most significant factor is that convicted
criminals are routinely set free to prey upon the public over and
over again. Also, Canada and the USA have only about 5-6% of the
world's population, but over 55% of its drug addicts. Canada's crime
rate is similar to the USA except it has far fewer firearms offences
(and subsequent murders) due to much stricter firearm laws in
Canada.
The confidential informant has long been an important tool in
assisting the police to solve crimes and apprehend offenders. As
every police officer knows, the only way a confidential informant
will assist a police officer on a continuous basis is on the
condition that their identity remain confidential. If their identity
is revealed, they are no longer able to obtain useful information,
and further, their lives could be in danger. In recent years
Canadian courts have ruled that if a search warrant or an arrest
warrant is obtained as a result of information obtained from a
confidential informant, the identity of that informant may be made
public in subsequent court proceedings. Who would be willing to
assist the police under these conditions?....It could result in the
death of the informant. This is just another hurdle placed in the
path of the Canadian police.
Due to the lack of deterrent in the Criminal Justice System, the
legal obstacles, the high crime rate and the lack of police power,
the Canadian police have had to develop great skill and
professionalism in order to successfully perform their duties. A
corrections official in one province reported that the average
inmate in a provincial prison was there for the sixth time. This
indicates two things: (a) Criminals are allowed back into society to
commit crimes again and again, and (b) the Canadian police are
successful in apprehending these offenders again and again.
Since a person who has been arrested for committing a criminal
offence is not required to answer any questions by the police, the
police have had to become masters of psychology when conducting
interrogations. They have also had to develop a high standard of
forensic science to aid in the solving of crime. The Canadian police
have invented new technology to aid in the investigation of crime,
especially in the use of computers, i.e., ballistics, geographic
profiling, forensic geology and violent crime linkage relating to
serial offenders.
Most important of all, they have established a good rapport with
the citizens. The Canadian police have long realized that most
crimes are solved as a result of citizens being willing to come
forward and provide the police with information and evidence. The
best way for the police to ensure they maintain cooperation and
support from the people is for the citizens to like and respect the
police. Subsequently, police-community relations is one of the
highest priorities of the police in Canada. A 2002 study showed that
despite the fact that more than 50% of Canadians have been charged
by the police, over 80% of Canadians like and respect the
police.
Despite the obstacles encountered in controlling crime, the
Canadian police have a high crime-solve rate. For example, Canadian
police solve approximately 85% of homicides, compared to 67% by USA
police. In some areas of Canada, the homicide solve rate is 95-100%.
When a police organization is not supported by its country's
criminal justice system, it has two choices:
The international community of nations can learn much from the
Canadian experience. It must guard against creating a criminal
justice system that results in a high crime rate and unsafe streets.
Justice, fairness and protection of the innocent must be achieved
without jeopardizing public safety and security. On the other hand,
the high standards attained by the Canadian police are well worth
emulating.
Criminals are the common enemy of people, regardless of where
they reside in the world. Organized crime can undermine the economy
of a nation; terrorists kill innocent citizens who have done them no
harm; street criminals rob, rape and steal with no regard for anyone
but themselves. It is vital, therefore, that the international
brotherhood of police exchange and share their knowledge and
experiences to make the world a happier and safer place in which to
live and travel.
