OTTAWA—The RCMP has slashed its training of new recruits as it becomes the latest in a string of federal departments and agencies to cope with belt-tightening, the
Star has learned. Even under a self-professed law-and-order government, the budget crunch isn’t sparing the ranks of frontline cops. The
Star has learned training of recruits for federal and contract policing has fallen from a high of nearly 1,800 in 2009 to under 300 this year — an 84 per cent drop. “It certainly is a concern,” said Staff Sgt. Brian Roach, a member of the executive of the RCMP’s staff relations program, which represents the non-unionized rank and file. “We, clearly, in the force are not fully up to strength,” said Roach. He said the force’s own resource studies show a demand from provinces and municipalities for more RCMP members. “We still need more recruits coming in,” and every one of the cadets represents front-line officers, not people headed for administrative desk work, he added. If the force does not sustain higher recruiting levels, says Roach, it means Mounties will “work longer hours, carry more files, risk the chance of burnout, cases are worked on a highest-priority (basis) and obviously the lesser priorities (are) the less worked.” The RCMP admitted cuts to the number of cadets being trained, but denies it will affect front-line ranks. “While reducing discretionary spending, we have not reduced our front-line policing numbers,” RCMP spokesman Sgt. Greg Cox wrote in an email.
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Sources say there were originally 1,344 cadets slated to enter training in 2009. However, the intake was reduced to 992 cadets. For last year, 2010-11, the number of cadets was set at 768, but in April 2010, it was reduced to 576 for the year. This year, the number of cadets slated for training is just 288 new recruits.
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