The union representing front-line Mounties wants Ottawa to dismiss any notion of shifting border security responsibilities away from the RCMP.
The National Police Federation says the RCMP is the only agency that is fully trained and equipped to handle border-related criminal investigations and patrol remote areas between official crossings.
The union’s statement comes as Canada bolsters border security to address the White House’s concerns about the southbound flow of migrants and drugs.
The RCMP is responsible for policing between official border crossings, while the Canada Border Services Agency manages security at land crossings, airports and seaports.
The union representing border agency officers has urged the federal government to expand their duties to allow them to act between ports of entry.
The Customs and Immigration Union says border agency officers are already trained with the border in mind and have a keen understanding of relevant laws and regulations.
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In a statement Wednesday, the police federation said border agency employees are not trained or qualified to take on the same duties as RCMP officers.
“The RCMP is the only law enforcement agency in Canada with the specialized training, authority, and infrastructure to police the border between ports of entry effectively,” federation president Brian Sauvé said in a media release.
Sauvé said that rather than duplicating efforts and diverting resources to other agencies, the federal government must invest in expanding the RCMP’s federal policing program.
The federation is calling on the federal government to reaffirm the RCMP’s border security role and commit to hiring at least 1,000 additional officers to bolster national security and enforcement efforts.
It also wants Ottawa to accelerate RCMP recruitment and training, streamline the process for buying equipment and expand intelligence sharing.
