Posted on 06/28/2005 4:31:35 AM PDT by Koblenz
The RCMP complained this week that it had too few qualified recruits last year to replace the number of officers who retired. Applications were off by 28% and only 232 new officers joined, rather than the 300 hoped for.
The force attributes the dearth of prospective recruits to competition: There are too many other attractive career choices for young men and women. Its solution? Buy a brightly coloured van and cruise Ontario and Quebec campuses looking for warm bodies; maybe conduct some focus groups to see why young people aren't attracted to RCMP careers.
We can save them the trouble (and taxpayers the expense).
If too few well-qualified applicants are seeking admission to the RCMP's academy in Regina, it is likely because the Mounties have done all they could in the last decade to scare off young white males. While brass deny it, for a time in the mid-1990s the RCMP had a "no white males" policy. Some recruiters admitted to applicants that the force had a five-year backlog of Caucasian men and wouldn't consider any more until it had reached its gender and racial hiring goals. Just to get an interview, white males needed a score of 115 on the police aptitude test, women needed a 96 and visible minority candidates an 86.
Such quotas are said to permeate promotions, too. For instance, although the RCMP has a comparatively small number of officers in Quebec, bilingualism is a key to selection for command, which has left many serving male, anglophone members embittered -- understandably so.
In 1999, too, the RCMP eliminated recruits' pay while they are training in Regina. Now, during the 24-week academy, recruits typically have to come up with $4,600 of their own for expenses. Room and board is provided, but nothing else. (And even that is treated as a taxable benefit by the Canada Revenue Agency.)
In addition, there is the obvious politicization of the Mounted Police. It is no longer perceived by many as an independent force. Rather, it is now seen as a branch of the Solicitor-General's office like any other. The commissioner has the standing of an associate deputy minister. This has enabled Cabinet to ally the RCMP too closely to unpopular programs such as the firearms registry. Enforcement of Ottawa's gun controls has made the force less popular in places where it was once revered, such as Atlantic Canada and the rural West.
The Mounties also received $3-million in Adscam money, and is widely seen as ineffectual at investigating corruption scandals. The perception is growing that the once proud police organization -- often called the best in the world -- is in the process of becoming a tool of politicians and social engineers.
If RCMP recruiters want more young officers, they might first look to a gender- and colour-blind application process. The force still receives nearly 9,000 applications a year. Surely there are an additional 68 good prospects in that pool -- even if they are all white males.
The Mounties' lustre can also be restored by ensuring the service is fully independent of political interference. The commissioner should become an officer of Parliament rather than a bureaucratic appointee. His or her selection should be made by an all-party committee, rather than by Cabinet.
Before senior Mounties authorize their recruiters to commence their psychedelic bus tour of Central Canada in the search for new trainees, they might want to consider addressing the real causes for the recruitment drop.
Absolutely. If they are in B.C. today, it doesn't mean they will be tomorrow. They could be posted anywhere. I am not saying, you, but a lot of Americans may not realize that the RCMP are contracted by many, probably most, smaller towns and rural areas and even some provinces for police services.
I have no respect for them. They are by in large colorless (personality-wise), humorless, stupid, and with absolutely no ability to think for themselves. Unlike 'real cops' who will put away the book sometimes in order to get results or do the most logical and intelligent thing, most of these people would die from inertia if the 'book' didn't cover whatever situation they were in. The word 'officious' should have a picture of an RCMP constable beside it in every dictionary.
However, they do learn how to make their beds properly when in training - a lot of importance is given to that when in the RCMP boot camp.
You have to take those pills to make you darker, like in "Soul Brother."
You are exactly right you can use Florida, Chicago and LA as your examples. But this starts in the public school system minorities in the public schools are not held to the same standard as white kids and are just given a free pass through school regardless if they pass or not and this carries through there whole life. Please don't misunderstand I am not racist I feel sorry for these people they are being screwed by liberalism and they don't even know it. At some point minorities will be so dependent on government they be back to being slaves. It is disturbing to watch.
It just goes to show minority set asides, profiling, reverse discrimination are so misguided. They should all have a sunset clause. Because if they are meant to be a remedy then when the remedy works it should be discontinued. And if it doesn't work then.. da! I have a friend of Scandinavian descent who shares your pain.
I like me. The scars, identity problems, the love. But in a way it's easy. I'm just another American
Good for you!
Until recently, American police forces were unique in the world, since they were agents of the polis -- the smallest unit of government. Paid by local taxes. Local men to whom we deputed, without surrendering, our right to bear arms. This has changed with the war on drugs, and efforts from our would-be national rulers to subvert the police departments, to bribe and militarize them, to make them enemies, rather than servants, of the local populace. JBTs. Occupying forces. Think about how many times in the last year you've heard the standard Nazi greeting -- zie papieren, bitte. When you're strolling along, minding your own business, that can be a real shocker. A reminder that the interests the guy in blue is serving are not yours, but some other power's.
"This has changed with the war on drugs, and efforts from our would-be national rulers to subvert the police departments, to bribe and militarize them, to make them enemies, rather than servants, of the local populace. JBTs."
You might also mention that in addition to the alleged WOD, they've been mutated into legions of tax collectors not only in their own interest, but to make sure that there is a steady flow of "inventory" through the machine to keep the white/black collar parasites up the food chain busy.
If the government, any government(in the USA), had there way, we would all be dependent on them, and be their slaves.
We are back to what the founders of this country came for, and fought for. There is not longer any true freedom.
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