The RCMP review panel is calling for an overhaul of complaints policies after the report found long wait times

A federal watchdog is calling for changes to the way Nunavut RCMP handles complaints from the public, starting with setting turnaround times for investigations that should take months but sometimes take years.

The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission also recommended the RCMP make the process more culturally appropriate and accessible to people in the sprawling northern territory in a report released Thursday.

The report also called for Mounties in Nunavut’s V Division to make public complaints training mandatory and to provide officers with cultural training before they arrive in Nunavut.

“The RCMP in Nunavut should work with communities, Inuit-led groups and the CRCC to develop a culturally appropriate alternative complaint resolution mechanism,” the commission said in a statement.

“The Nunavut RCMP should prioritize recruiting and retaining Inuit public complaint investigators and administrators.”

The commission is an independent federal agency that investigates complaints against the RCMP.

The Nunavut report made 14 findings and nine recommendations on how to improve the complaints process.

Among other things, it was found that the V Division did not have a formal process in place to ensure that public complaint investigations complied with national RCMP guidelines. It found that documentation and reasons for delays in these investigations were often inadequate.

There were 75 public complaints in Nunavut during the 2018 to 2022 reporting period, the report said. The Commission found that the investigations took too long and many were also considered inadequate.

The report also analyzed complaints from 2015 to 2021 and found that some investigations took three to five years to complete. There was also a “general failure” to keep people informed about the status of their complaints.

“Some investigations were not initiated by the RCMP for nearly two years, resulting in some withdrawing their complaints,” the report said. “Almost two-thirds of complaints were either withdrawn or resolved informally – this percentage was well above the national average.”

The report also noted that filing complaints can be intimidating because, in small departments, the resident RCMP members they may be complaining about could be the same person handing them the form.

They may also have had interactions with the police before and are concerned about “possible retaliation.”

It also found that language barriers were a problem as complaints could not be made in Inuktut, forcing complainants to rely on a translator. Reports were often withdrawn because interpreters were not available, the commission says.

“More information needs to be available in Inuktut in a variety of formats, and community members need to have access to services in Inuktut,” the report said, adding that inadequate Inuit representation leads to language barriers and a general lack of trust in the community RCMP contribute.

“Recruiting and retaining Inuktut-speaking members must be a priority.”

The commission said improving Inuit representation would advance reconciliation efforts, show respect for Inuit history and be consistent with the National Inuit Action Plan.

Nunavut RCMP were not immediately available for comment, but the report notes the V Division has begun improving file processing times.

Nunavut RCMP is also already taking steps to hire more Inuit members and staff, the report said. It is noted that suitable candidates are identified, language training is provided and oral examinations are organized, which are proctored by an RCMP member.

“I am pleased that the RCMP Commissioner has agreed that the Nunavut RCMP will continue to work with the CRCC,” Commission Chair Michelaine Lahaie said in a statement.

“As it is imperative that a culturally appropriate complaint resolution process be developed for Nunavut, the CRCC is committed to working with communities, Inuit-led groups and the RCMP.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2024.

Aaron Sousa, The Canadian Press