RCMP 'ready for the challenges' of expanded role following N.S. policing review

Gareth Hampshire · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 04, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 4

Nova Scotia's commanding RCMP serviceman says the Mounties are good positioned to instrumentality connected a bigger relation successful the province, 2 years aft a nationalist enquiry identified superior failures successful its effect to the April 2020 wide shooting and called for large improvements.

A consequent reappraisal into policing was released past week, with the province indicating an enlargement of the RCMP is included successful its plans to modernize services.    

Some municipal leaders person questioned the direction, portion Justice Minister Becky Druhan has insisted she is assured it is the close path.

"Based connected our improvements, based connected our actions successful the past 5 years, we person greatly enhanced and are acceptable for the challenges that laic ahead," said Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley, the commanding serviceman of the Nova Scotia RCMP.

The Mass Casualty Commission made 130 recommendations aft examining the circumstances astir the shooting rampage successful which 22 radical were killed crossed Nova Scotia.

It contained terrible criticisms of the RCMP, including the nonaccomplishment to pass radical astir the danger as good arsenic not being decently prepared to respond to specified an event.  

Daley pointed to investments successful exigency response, exertion and improvements successful nationalist alerts, portion besides noting a important summation successful the fig of captious incidental grooming scenarios.

"We're really practising overmuch much often arsenic either a elder squad oregon a section squad connected however we would respond to a wide event," Daley said. "Certainly from a Nova Scotia lens, we've had important advancement successful implementation."

The RCMP has been publicly tracking implementation of the inquiry's recommendations connected its website arsenic the unit works to reconstruct trust.

"I bash admit that immoderate radical whitethorn beryllium amazed with the absorption that the [Justice] Department is going," Daley conceded. "I tin lone reassure Nova Scotians that we are acceptable if the section asks america to bash thing specifically and wherever we are ever searching and trying to make spot of Nova Scotians."

RCMP not looking to instrumentality implicit municipalities 

There are 10 municipal constabulary services successful Nova Scotia communities. Some of their mayors, including those successful Bridgewater and Kentville, person expressed interest astir how an enlargement of the RCMP changes could affect their ain forces.

Druhan said past week those that cannot conscionable provincial standards look being replaced by the RCMP.

"That's not my desire," Daley said. "The municipal constabulary departments present bash a precise bully job."

Concerns immoderate of the mayors echoed from the policing study astir dilatory effect times and a deficiency of visibility successful agrarian parts of Nova Scotia tin beryllium attributed to the ample geographical areas the RCMP is liable for, Daley explained. Concerns person besides been raised implicit the outgo municipalities look to money caller officers.

While the RCMP is struggling to unit immoderate areas of the country, that is not a occupation successful Nova Scotia, helium said, referencing recruitment numbers from the past fiscal year. The unit welcomed astir 70 cadets and 40 experienced officers to Nova Scotia, Daley added.

"As the Department of Justice asks america to expand, we tin fulfil those needs," helium said.

It is inactive aboriginal successful the process but Daley has already talked to immoderate municipal constabulary chiefs to gauge their reaction.

He expects further talks implicit the adjacent fewer months.