VANCOUVER 鈥� Public confidence in the RCMP鈥檚 leadership dropped 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� across the country during the past five years, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll. And British Columbians have the most negative view of the force in Canada.
A solid majority (74 per cent) of 91原创s believe RCMP officers treat the public fairly and equitably, but they hold a dimmer view of how the force treats its own employees. Only 63 per cent of 91原创s said they believe staff are treated fairly and equitably, according to the poll conducted for Postmedia News and Global Television.
The poll comes less than two weeks after an Angus Reid survey showed more than half of Metro 91原创 residents support a single police force to oversee the entire Lower Mainland.
Missing Women Inquiry Commissioner Wally Oppal made that recommendation, along with 62 others, last month after stating the investigation into the women鈥檚 disappearances was riddled with 鈥渂latant police failures and public indifference.鈥� The missing women鈥檚 investigation was conducted by both RCMP and the 91原创 police department.
As in a similar poll conducted in March 2012, British Columbians thought less of the Mounties than 91原创s in any other province. Excluding Ontario and Quebec, which have their own provincial police forces, residents of Manitoba and Saskatchewan had the most favourable views of the RCMP, followed by Albertans and Atlantic 91原创s.
B.C. Mounties have experienced a string of highly publicized problems in recent years, ranging from civilian deaths to allegations of endemic sexual harassment.
Darryl Plecas, a criminologist at the University of the Fraser Valley, said the RCMP is still trying to change the work culture of a force with 鈥渟o many bullies.鈥�
鈥淭here seems to be this incestuous relationship in different places in the RCMP. You look at certain units and they鈥檙e filled with people who have been friends forever,鈥� said Plecas. 鈥淧eople have recognized this; you dare not cross them, otherwise they鈥檙e going to come after you.鈥�
Plecas said B.C., with several large detachments, has more RCMP officers than anywhere else in the country, which means a larger sample size and therefore more 鈥渂ullies.鈥�
According to the poll results, only 46 per cent of 91原创s said they believe senior leadership of the force is doing either a 鈥済ood鈥� or 鈥済reat鈥� job. That鈥檚 down from 61 per cent when a similar poll was done in 2007.
The survey of 1,021 91原创s was conducted between Dec. 7 and 12. The poll is considered accurate to within 3.5 percentage points.
