Shawnee Love   •  
February 19, 2016

Another day and another harassment/ bullying complaint alleged within the RCMP.

I may notice these news stories more than the average joe, because about a quarter of my consulting is focused on

• developing policy and training,
• conducting workplace investigations, and
• providing and implementing recommendations to resolve disrespect and prevent and correct violence (including harassment and bullying) in the workplace.

But surely it has to be obvious to even the most casual observer that allegations of this kind are arising regularly from the RCMP ranks.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire or so the story goes.

Rampant nudity claims the allegations!  I have to admit, that’s not the usual run of the mill type of behaviour that comes up in a bullying and harassment investigation.  In most organizations, that kind of behaviour is so obviously unacceptable, the only defence I could imagine would be the debilitating mental illness of the offender.

In the absence of discovering an applicable medical condition (and its pretty hard to argue multiple people on civilian duty were sick), my recommended immediate intervention would be discipline “up to and including termination“.  Repeated offenders would be exited faster than I could write the termination paperwork.

Just to be clear, I am a proud Canadian.  I believe in the True North Strong & Free and cry each time I hear the National Anthem played live.  I am proud of the RCMP and their history as well as their willingness to put themselves in harms way, consistently engaging with those who don’t value our Country to protect those of us who do.

That being said, I am finding it really difficult to continue to trust in the RCMP’s ability to root out the miscreants in their midst.  Clients hire consultants to do investigations because we are objective 3rd parties.

I think a 3rd party might be needed here too.  What say you?