Law enforcement in Canada

RCMP car in Ottawa

In Canada, there are three levels of police forces: municipal, provincial, and federal. Constitutionally, law enforcement is a provincial responsibility, and most urban areas have been given the authority by the provinces to maintain their own police force. All but three provinces in turn contract out their provincial law enforcement responsibilities to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the national police force.

Police Forces

Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador maintain their own provincial police forces: The Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec (Quebec Provincial Police) and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Smaller municipalities often contract police service from the provincial policing authority, while larger ones maintain their own forces. Newfoundland's provincial police force is only responsible for its larger urban areas; the province has contracted the RCMP to patrol the rest of the province. The RCMP, colloquially known as Mounties, is the only police force to service all three levels in some areas of the country. Many Indian Reserves have their own police forces called peacekeepers.

There are also a few private police forces with some of the powers usually reserved for governmental forces (as it relates to company property). The Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway each have their own police force. In fact, any railway in Canada can appoint police officers. Some private hospitals and universities also employ private special police as well as quasi-governmental agencies such as transit commissions and power authorities. The duties of private railway police are to prevent crimes against the company and protection of goods, materials, and public rail transit being moved on their rail systems. They work to protect the public, rail personnel, and property owned or administered by the railways. The regular public police maintain authority and jurisdiction for all criminal offences, regardless of whether the offence occurs on public or private property. A local police chief has statutory and common law policing authority and responsibility for the territory under his command. Private police do not have legislated duties and are not legally obligated to maintain or police their property with private police officers. All taxpayers, companies, and citizens have equal access to public police. Many companies and quasi-governmental agencies find it is cost efficient and reduces liability to have security or sworn special police. Thus, the company can direct its resources to matters that it finds important and control its own private interests.

Canadian Forces Military Police

The Canadian Forces Military Police (CFPM) contribute to the effectiveness and readiness of the Canadian Forces (CF) and the Department of National Defence (DND) through the provision of professional police, security and operational support services worldwide.

CFPM are unusual in that they are classified as Peace Officers in the Criminal Code of Canada, which gives them the same powers as civilian law enforcement personnel to enforce Acts of Parliament on or in relation to DND property or assets anywhere in the world. They have the power to arrest anyone who is subject to the Code of Service Discipline (CDS), regardless of position or rank under the National Defence Act (NDA). MP have the power to arrest and charge non-CDS bound civilians only in cases where a crime is committed on or in relation to DND property or assets, or at the request of the Minister of Public Safety, Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada or Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Although MP jurisdiction is only on DND property across Canada and throughout the world, any civilian accessing these areas falls under MP jurisdiction and are dealt with in the same manner as any civilian policing agency. If in fact a crime is committed on or in relation to DND property or assets, MP have the power to arrest and charge the offender, military or civilian, under the Criminal Code of Canada. It is important to note though that the purpose of the CFMP is not to replace the job of a civilian police officer, but rather to support the Canadian Forces through security and policing services. MP also have the power to enforce the Provincial Highway Traffic Act on all military bases in Canada contrary to the Government Property Traffic Regulations (GPTR).

Strength

Map of Police per 100,000 population across Canada, 2007.

  < 176

  176-200

  201-300

  301-400

  > 400

As of May 2007, Canada had 64,134 police officers, or 195 per 100,000 people. Canadian police strength reached a peak in 1975, when there were 206 officers per 100,000 people. Although the current number reflects a significant rise in the total police strength in the country (the highest in twelve years after steady declines in the 1980s and 1990s), Canada still utilizes fewer police than the United States (230 per 100,000), Australia (222), and England and Wales (262).

Provincially, Saskatchewan had the highest number at 207 officers per 100,000, and the province has also held the national record for the highest crime rate since 1997. The lowest numbers were in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta. The three territories, while having far fewer police officers in absolute terms, have around twice as many police officers per capita as do the provinces.

The city of Toronto has been known as one of the safest major cities in North America, due to its low crime rate and homicide rate. Toronto's robbery rate also ranks low, with 207.1 robberies per 100,000 people, compared with Los Angeles (348.5), Vancouver (266.2), New York City (265.9), and Montreal (235.3).

Police officers, by province and territory
(Police officers per 100,000 population)
	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
	police officers per 100,000 population
	rate
Canada	187.6	186.9	188.9	191.5	195.2
Newfoundland and Labrador	148.1	148.1	151	156.8	165.4
Prince Edward Island	158.7	150.1	154.2	158.8	163.5
Nova Scotia	171.7	172.2	173.5	178.4	188.4
New Brunswick	170.4	173.1	172.6	172.3	177.1
Quebec	191.7	191.1	194.2	197.3	198.2
Ontario	189.5	187	186.5	187.3	191.7
Manitoba	196.1	193.6	192.1	196.4	203.6
Saskatchewan	200.8	202	203.1	206	206.6
Alberta	158.1	159.7	162.8	166	165.1
British Columbia	171	168.2	174.9	178.1	185.5
Yukon Territory	405.6	391.6	385.6	371.4	385.3
Northwest Territories	386	399.6	405.8	408.5	418.7
Nunavut	414.9	415.1	402.8	396.3	394

Ranks

The Chief of Police is the title of the head of most Canadian police forces except for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Commissioner), Ontario Provincial Police (Commissioner), South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service (Chief Officer), Vancouver Police Department (Chief Constable), and the West Vancouver Police Department (Chief Constable):-

• Chief of Police
• Deputy Chief of Police
• Chief Superintendent
• Staff Superintendent
• Superintendent
• Staff Inspector
• Inspector
• Staff Sergeant
• Sergeant (and Detective Sergeant)
• Corporal (and Detective Corporal)
• Senior Constable
• Police Constable (and Detective Constable)
• Cadet/Recruit
• Special Constable

Weapons

In the 1990s, the majority of law enforcement agencies of Canada began wearing bulletproof vests and municipal police agencies started carrying Glock semi-automatic handguns in the .40 S&W calibre cartridge. In terms of numbers of officers, and due to its use by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the most widely used weapon is the Smith & Wesson 5946 with hollow-point 9mm calibre ammunition.

These firearms replaced the aging .38 Special revolver. A significant number of agencies have begun to use the Sig Sauer semi-automatic handgun in the .40 S&W calibre. A Police cruiser might carry a Carbine rifle; or a shotgun capable of firing a variety of shotgun shells including the less-lethal flexible baton round and rubber bullets.

Other less-lethal weapons carried include the Taser, pepper spray and an expandable baton. In addition, they would have on their person: handcuffs, flashlight, portable radio, notebook, and a pair of disposable gloves and Kevlar gloves.

See also

• List of law enforcement agencies in Canada
• Crime in Canada
• Terrorism in Canada