Re-engineering Federal Policing (Details)

Name of province/ territory:

New Brunswick

City/ Region:

New Brunswick

Description of Initiative:

The Re-engineering Federal Policing initiative, currently underway across Canada, allows for more effective investigation of serious and organized crime using adaptive, flexible units that focuse on investigating the chosen target’s activity—a move away from traditional commodity-based units.

Units are now focused on the criminal activity and not the commodity. Modern analytical and intelligence processes assess the level of criminality of a target group or individual. A prioritization matrix is used to compare them to other targets. Previously, federal units were assigned to specific areas of mandate. For example, units were dedicated solely to drug enforcement or solely to customs & excise or solely to financial crime. Now, although they have personnel with expertise in these areas, those personnel work together and are tasked with investigating avenues of evidence, irrespective of the commodity, but focused on the outcome.

Initiative Key Objectives:

Make New Brunswick safer by investigating and successfully prosecuting the highest criminal threats in the province and contributing to the national effort to combat organized crime.

Section Responsible for Implementation:

Federal Policing ‘J’ Division

Key Contact:

Guy Rook
guy.rook@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Groups/ Agencies/ Key Partners Involved:

  • other police services

Level of Involvement (consultative - information sharing) and/or cooperative - direct involvement):

Direct involvement

Amount of Time Initiative has been in Place:

Since winter 2012.

Reason for Undertaking the Initiative:

This initiative was undertaken in response to fiscal realities and enabled by the evolution of policing in New Brunswick, which is yielding stronger multi-agency partnerships, better intelligence sharing and more effective criminal analysis and targeting processes.

Resources Required to Implement this Initiative:

Start-up costs were minimal and the cost savings resulting from this initiative exceed the insignificant set-up costs. Start-up costs included costs of communications and change management, materials for re-branding, town hall meetings and meeting-related travel.

Significant savings were realized in operational travel costs, as each of the offices now have sufficient personnel for a major project. For example, in the past, if the project was a drug commodity, drug investigators were pooled from several field offices, incurring travel costs and time away from home. Now that there are no silos, each office has the capacity to tackle one major project. Multiple units have also been combined under one supervisor, and the consolidation of administrative functions, exhibit storage, records management and many other areas are saving hours of work and significant facilities costs. A cost savings analysis will be undertaken with the planned evaluation.

Method of Implementation:

Phased in. Initial consultation followed by continuous change management strategies.

Key Outcomes of the Initiative:

The RCMP units are successfully investigating the selected targets and there are reduced operational costs (i.e., overtime and travel). In addition, there is an increase in the participation, cooperation and sharing of intelligence by municipal police partners.

Availability of a Communication Strategy:

Yes

Key Messages used to Publicize the Initiative:

This initiative supports:

  • integration by reducing and breaking down silos;
  • allocation of effort that reflects operational priorities that are informed by the RCMP and supported by the government; and
  • operational flexibility to address common priorities.

Forms of Evaluation by which the Initiative will be Assessed:

  • internal

Evaluation Completed or Community Feedback Received:

No

Summary of the Outcomes:

An evaluation is planned once this initiative has been fully implemented.

Summary of the Performance Measure Data Collected:

N/A

Economics of Policing Pillars:

Further Details:

By focusing on the chosen target, regardless of commodity, through increased flexibility, the RCMP and its partners become more effective by using a broader range of expertise, and more diverse investigative strategies. The RCMP can draw more quickly on existing capacity at a lower cost, to investigate and lay criminal charges.

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

N/A

Record Entry Date:

2013-08-01

Date modified: