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RCMP watchdog: Mounties' actions "reasonable and appropriate" during G8/G20

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This news release from the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP:
Mr. Ian McPhail, the Interim Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (Commission), today released the Commission's report on its public interest investigation into the actions of the RCMP at the 2010 G8/G20 Summits.

"The Commission found that, while there was room for improvement in some areas, the actions of the RCMP and its members in the context of the G8 and G20 Summits were reasonable and appropriate," said Mr. McPhail.

The Commission's investigation, launched November 5, 2010, responded to a complaint lodged by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association about the conduct of the RCMP and its members in relation to:

    G8/G20 planning (including the location of the security fences);
    Infiltration and surveillance (if any) of individuals or groups before and during the summits;
    Use of force, detentions and arrests during the summits; and
    Conditions at the Eastern Avenue detention facilities in Toronto.

The Commission's investigation included conducting 38 interviews, along with the collection and review of some 40,000 pages of documentation and hours of RCMP surveillance video.

The RCMP had the primary responsibility for the security of both summits and the protection of visiting dignitaries. In carrying out its responsibilities, the RCMP conducted itself in a reasonable and appropriate manner. Planning for both events was found to be thorough. The investigation did not reveal any instances of unreasonable use of force by RCMP members and found that although the RCMP's involvement in the "kettling" incident was not consistent with its policies and practices, it was reasonable in the circumstances. The Commission also found that the RCMP played no role in the planning, management and operation of the Eastern Avenue Detention Centre or any of the arrests carried out at Queen's Park, the University of Toronto or The Esplanade.

The Commission has, however, recommended a number of improvements to RCMP policy and practice in the areas of:

    record keeping;
    integrated post-event debriefings;
    the clarification of operational policies with policing partners; and
    procedures for intelligence investigations in the context of major events.

The Commission also emphasizes that the RCMP should expect after-the-fact review by oversight agencies and incorporate this into their security planning for major events ....
Here's the report in full.

Media's take, from The Canadian Press ....
The RCMP acted in a "reasonable and appropriate" fashion during the Toronto G20 summit marred by violence and mass arrests, says the watchdog that keeps an eye on the national police force.

In its long-awaited investigation report, the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP says there were no incidents of unreasonable force by the Mounties.

It also found RCMP planning was thorough, placement of security fencing justifiable and intelligence-gathering done with attention to the rights of demonstrators.

In addition, there was no indication that RCMP undercover operators or event monitors acted out of line or as agents provocateurs, the commission says in its report released Monday ....

.... the Globe & Mail ....
The RCMP reluctantly participated in kettling protesters at the G20 riots in Toronto in 2010, under orders from the local police, even though the controversial crowd-control technique is not part of the Mounties’ playbook, according to a new report by the RCMP civilian watchdog.

RCMP officers on site at the 2010 summit of world leaders questioned the order to corral an entire crowd of protesters, but relented because they were officially operating under the command of the Toronto Police Service at that event site.

In future operations with other police forces, the Mounties should decide ahead of time what tactics they are willing to use, and which ones they won’t, according to the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP.

“It would have been helpful had the various police services [at the G20 summit] been operating by the same playbook,” Ian McPhail, chairman of the commission, said in an interview.

Mr. McPhail said that if the RCMP decides to abandon one of its policies – such as allowing peaceful protesters the ability to walk away – it should do so in a formal agreement with the police force commanding the operation ....

... and CBC.ca
The RCMP's watchdog says an investigation into the conduct of Mounties during the G8 and G20 summits in Ontario in 2010 has found they "on balance" did "a pretty good job" of policing.

In an interview with CBC News, Ian McPhail, vice-chair and interim chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC), said despite media reports "which looked a little alarming," the RCMP protected foreign visitors and secured the summit areas.

Although the report covers RCMP conduct for both the G8 in Huntsville and the G20 in Toronto, the complaints focused on the G20.

"There were no credible threats against any foreign visitor and there was no security breach within their area of jurisdiction," said the watchdog.

The commission found the RCMP planning to be "robust and thorough," and found no indication that it was guided by anything other than "legitimate security concerns."

The commission also saw no indication that RCMP undercover agents or event monitors acted "inappropriately" or as "agents provocateurs."

The report does, however, shed new light on an incident in downtown Toronto on June 27, 2010, when Ontario and city police boxed in hundreds of people for hours in the rain.

The tactic is called "kettling," and according to McPhail, the RCMP were called in, and once they arrived on the scene, the commander in charge raised a number of questions about the strategy.

"He was concerned about the nature of 'kettling' because that's not RCMP policy," said McPhail, who explained that when it comes to crowd control, RCMP policy is to provide an exit.

But once on site, the RCMP was reporting to the Toronto Police Services, explained McPhail ....
 
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