Review of the RCMP's Public Complaint Records
Part One: Analysis of the Review of the Record
According to RCMP policy, the withdrawal of a complaint is to be captured on Form 4110 and the reason for the withdrawal is to be clearly documented in Section 8. Further, according to RCMP policy, a complainant who believes that the RCMP is corrupt or that nothing good will come of the complaint is not considered to be a valid reason to withdraw a complaint. Further, RCMP policy and guidelines state that there must be "unequivocal evidence of the complainant's wish to withdraw [...]."27
A preliminary examination of these types of dispositions points to a lack of properly conducted withdrawals. The Commission is concerned that some complaint withdrawals are not valid or are in fact informal resolutions, improperly identified as complaint withdrawals.
Force-wide, complainants withdrew their public complaints in 13% of the cases, which represented 395 allegations. Allegations that were mostly likely to be withdrawn were "Mishandling of Property", "Policy" and "Improper Search of Premises".
From a regional perspective, the Pacific Region disposed of 14% of their total public complaints in this manner, which addressed 209 total allegations. Allegations most likely to be withdrawn were "Neglect of Duty" and "Improper Attitude".
The Northwest Region disposed of 14% of their total public complaints in this manner, which addressed 111 total allegations. Allegations most likely to be withdrawn were "Neglect of Duty" and "Improper Attitude".
The Atlantic Region disposed of 11% of their total public complaints in this manner, which addressed 73 total allegations. Allegations most likely to be withdrawn were "Neglect of Duty" and "Improper Use of Force".
The Central Region disposed of only 4% of their total public complaints in this manner, which addressed 2 total allegations. The allegations that were withdrawn were 1 allegation of "Irregularity in Procedure" and 1 allegation of "Neglect of Duty".
Table 8: Allegation Breakdown for Withdrawn Complaints
| |
Atlantic |
Central |
Northwest |
Pacific |
Total |
| |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
| A. Improper Attitude |
10 |
14% |
0 |
0% |
26 |
23% |
41 |
20% |
77 |
19% |
| B. Improper Use of Force |
12 |
16% |
0 |
0% |
16 |
14% |
31 |
15% |
59 |
15% |
| C. Improper Use of Firearms |
1 |
1% |
0 |
0% |
1 |
1% |
0 |
0% |
2 |
1% |
| D. Irregularity in Procedure |
10 |
14% |
1 |
50% |
7 |
6% |
6 |
3% |
24 |
6% |
| E. Driving Irregularity |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
1 |
1% |
0 |
0% |
1 |
0% |
| F. Neglect of Duty |
21 |
29% |
1 |
50% |
41 |
37% |
58 |
28% |
121 |
31% |
| G. Statutory Offence |
2 |
3% |
0 |
0% |
3 |
3% |
6 |
3% |
11 |
3% |
| H. Mishandling of Property |
7 |
10% |
0 |
0% |
2 |
2% |
9 |
4% |
18 |
5% |
| I. Irregularity – Evidence |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
1 |
0% |
1 |
0% |
| J. Oppressive Conduct |
1 |
1% |
0 |
0% |
6 |
5% |
11 |
5% |
18 |
5% |
| K. Improper Arrest |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
2 |
2% |
27 |
13% |
29 |
7% |
| L. Improper Persons/Vehicles Search |
7 |
10% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
1 |
0% |
8 |
2% |
| M. Improper Search of Premises |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
4 |
4% |
13 |
6% |
17 |
4% |
| N. Policy |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
3 |
1% |
3 |
1% |
| O. Equipment |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
| P. Service |
2 |
3% |
0 |
0% |
2 |
2% |
2 |
1% |
6 |
2% |
| Q. Other |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
| Total |
73 |
100% |
2 |
100% |
111 |
100% |
209 |
100% |
395 |
100% |
27 RCMP, Quality Assurance Review Guide: Public Complaints, p. 14.