RCMP & Use of Force

The recent report of an RCMP officer from Manitoba being charged in the beating of a prisoner is not of singular significance in the broad scheme of things. However, it is important from an organizational perspective for several reasons. The article below provides the gist of things:

Jail Time for RCMP Officer

There were two officers involved in the events that are in question. The Queen's Bench justice in this case noted that one of the officers "...succumbed to paramilitary peer pressure..." when he provided assistance to his partner in the beating of a handcuffed prisoner. We can extrapolate from the fact that the victim was highly intoxicated when the original events took place. The victim, regardless of his state of intoxication, did not merit the physical mistreatment inflicted in him by the officers. This series of events speaks to both the nature of the use of force policies and practices within the RCMP, but, more importantly, to the corporate culture in the organization that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for officers to restrain overzealous colleagues. Any reasonable observer would likely see the events which took place in this instance and been shocked by the spectacle of police officers beating a handcuffed individual. However, individual officers appear to be immune to such shock and, instead, are more inclined to assist, or enable, another officer who engages in excessive use of force. It may be inappropriate to invoke the spectre of the Rodney King incident in Los Angeles, but, officers who are not willing to restrain their own members when they overstep the use of force continuum present a challenge for everyone.