RCMP Under Fire: Calls for Transparency Rise After Excessive Force Allegations Resurface

The RCMP is now re-evaluating its longstanding silence regarding the investigation into two officers accused of excessive force in the Northwest Territories—a situation that has sparked significant public interest. The critical turning point arrived with a report indicating that the RCMP is considering whether to disclose information about its internal inquiry into the actions of its members. This move follows a controversial incident from 2020, where two Yellowknife RCMP officers faced charges after an altercation with a Tłı̨chǫ woman, Tracella Romie, at the local detachment.,Initially charged with assault, the officers—Const. Francessca Bechard and Cpl. Jason Archer—saw the charges eventually stayed due to a lack of evidence that would ensure a reasonable prospect of conviction. As the legal proceedings unfolded, video footage surfaced, reportedly capturing Bechard throwing a punch at Romie during the search process after her arrest. Engel, chair of the Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association policing committee, firmly contends that the public deserves clarity on whether any internal examination has occurred, stating, “Whenever a police officer uses force, that’s a matter of public interest—and I would think that would be obvious to most Canadians.”,Despite the serious nature of the allegations, former RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki previously brushed off inquiries into the internal investigation. Engel had initially requested information in 2022, but Lucki’s response was nonchalant, arguing that it constituted a “private matter” and citing privacy regulations that supposedly restrained the RCMP from sharing personal employee data. However, the gravity of the situation—combined with Engel’s persistence—prompted the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (CRCC) to step in, asserting not only that the internal investigation was indeed a matter of public interest but also that the RCMP’s former stance was insufficiently justified.,Fast forward to December 2024, where current RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme recognized the need for a reassessment of the existing policy on disclosure, admitting that a more profound justification should have accompanied the previous decision. After all, the Privacy Act—as cited by Lucki—does not compel secrecy but merely offers the agency discretion over what they release to the public. “I’m not saying that we’re looking for a particular outcome of an investigation,” Engel clarified, “We just want to know, was there an investigation?”,In the aftermath of the 2020 incident—stemming from Romie’s arrest for allegedly assaulting liquor store staff—the troubling patterns of police behavior in the detachment have raised eyebrows. Engel highlights that even if the criminal charges against the officers didn’t proceed, that does not absolve them of potential breaches under the RCMP Act. The reality is agonizingly clear: the public is left in the dark as they wait for answers. “Given all those circumstances, one would think that the RCMP commissioner would say, ‘well, we’d better investigate this,’” he asserted, highlighting the irony of the situation.,As a further complication, the inconsistency in public disclosure of RCMP conduct hearings adds another layer of frustration. There doesn’t seem to be a straightforward rationale for why some hearings are accessible while others are not—a dichotomy that seems to underscore a troubling lack of transparency. The public clamor for accountability within the police force regarding use of force incidents is more than just noise; it’s a clarion call for justice and clarity—a demand that the RCMP, along with all law enforcement agencies, must take seriously.