RCMP to revamp internal investigation policy

The RCMP plans to change the way it investigates its own officers across Canada, including in Nunavut, where two Mounties were recently accused of inappropriate behaviour.

The force has drafted a new national policy spelling out how serious incidents or allegations involving RCMP officers are to be investigated, said Supt. Steve McVarnock, the RCMP's commanding officer in Nunavut.

"There's a whole new way of business that's coming on board," McVarnock told CBC News.

The draft policy was recently discussed by all commanding officers and will soon be presented to RCMP Commissioner William Elliott.

It would cover incidents such as shootings involving a police officer, as well as serious allegations of misconduct against an officer.

"We want the organization to be clean and to be well thought of," said Howard Eaton, the RCMP's superintendent in charge of criminal operations in Nunavut.

"To have something covered up and swept under the carpet and have the member back out on the road, that doesn't help us, it doesn't help the community."

McVarnock said the draft policy will determine who investigates the allegations and incidents, how oversight would be provided, and how community members could be involved.

"I want to involve somebody, like a respected elder in a community, as part of the investigative briefings that are held in that community while the event is being investigated to, just add to that transparency," McVarnock said.

One Nunavut RCMP officer has been charged with two counts of assault, while another is set to be charged with committing an indecent act.

Eaton said both officers will be doing administrative duties until their charges are dealt with.

Any time a member is charged with an offence, they are subject to a two-fold process, Eaton said.

"There's the criminal investigation that's done, and then there's the internal investigation that's conducted separately," he said.

"What'll happen in this case, is it will go through the courts … And regardless of what that outcome is, he will also face an internal discipline hearing and he could be given punishment under the RCMP Act."

Eaton added that the RCMP are also reviewing an allegation that an officer sexually assaulted a woman in Pond Inlet more than two years ago.