Law enforcement in Canada

Royal Canadian Mounted Police assigned to a Marine Security Emergency Response Team maneuver their boat after boarding a ship during Frontier Sentinel 2012 in Sydney, Canada, May 8, 2012 120508-N-HN353-287

The provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador maintain their own provincial police forces—the Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary respectively. 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 the province's larger urban areas (St. John's, Corner Brook and Labrador West); the province has contracted the RCMP to patrol the rest of the province. The other seven provinces and the three territories contract police services to the RCMP. It also serves as the local police in all areas outside of Ontario and Quebec that do not have an established local police force, mostly in rural areas. Thus, the RCMP is the only police force of any sort in some areas of the country.

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, Canadian Pacific Railway and Via Rail each have their own police force (CN Police, Canadian Pacific Police Service, and Via Rail Police[1][2] respectively). Any railway in Canada, under Federal jurisdiction, can request that a Superior Court judge appoint police officers under the Railway Safety Act.[3] 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. Some hospitals, universities, transit commissions, power authorities and other agencies employ special constables or in other provinces known as peace officers. The local police chief has statutory and Common Law authority and responsibility for the jurisdiction policed. The duties of peace officers are determined by their employers and have authorities limited by statutes under which they operate. All persons and companies have access to public police.

Map of Police per 100,000 population across Canada, 2012.[8]

  <176

  176–200

  201–300

  301–400

  >400

In 2011, there were 69,438 active/sworn police officers in Canada. This number was expected to exceed 70,000 by the end of 2012.

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 Wales (262/ 100,000).

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.[9] 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.

A helicopter pilot with the RCMP Air Services Branch

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), West Vancouver Police Department (Chief Constable), and the Sûreté du Québec (Director General). Other typical ranks include:

• Deputy Chief of Police
• Chief Superintendent
• Staff Superintendent (and Senior Staff Superintendent)
• Superintendent
• Staff Inspector
• Inspector
• Sergeant Major
• Staff Sergeant (and Detective Sergeant)
• Sergeant (and Detective)
• Corporal (and Detective Corporal)
• Senior Constable
• Police Constable (and Detective Constable)
• Ranking also exists (i.e. 1st Class Constable, 2nd Class Constable, etc...)
• Special Constable
• Cadet/Recruit

An X26 Taser, a non-lethal alternative to deadly force.

In the 1990s, the majority of law enforcement agencies of Canada began wearing bulletproof vests and municipal police agencies started carrying 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 Model 5946 with hollow-point 9mm ammunition. A large number of other agencies issue either a Glock or SIG Sauer handgun (most commonly in the law-enforcement popular .40 S&W).

These firearms replaced the aging .38 Special revolver. 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 conducted energy weapons, such as tasers, pepper spray, and an expandable baton. In addition, the personal equipment of police officers typically includes: handcuffs, flashlight, portable radio, notebook, pens, a pair of disposable gloves and Kevlar gloves.