Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), with an establishment of more than 20 000, the national force that provides policing in all provinces and territories except Ontario and Québec. The RCMP maintains 8 crime detection laboratories, the Canadian Police Information Centre in Ottawa and the Canadian Police College in Regina. Since 1886, all basic training of RCMP recruits has been carried out at Depot Division in Regina. Today the course is six months in length and includes a variety of subjects from basic criminal law to driving and shooting. Depot Division also gives courses for fisheries enforcement officers, correctional services personnel, native special constables and tribal police. Since 1974, women have been recruited into the force and undergo the same training as male constables. Upon graduation, the female constable is assigned duties on the same basis as her male counterpart. Female members of the force are as likely to be found in remote northern communities or on highway patrols as on desk jobs. From the earliest years of its existence the mounted police have attracted the attention of writers. Hundreds of novels, stories and films, mostly by British and American authors, have appeared over the last century, creating a vivid popular image of the mounted police as fearless and infallible. The Canadian government realized the usefulness of this image as early as the 1880s. The scarlet-coated policeman began to appear on Canadian immigration pamphlets and shortly after that on tourist advertisements. The police themselves have always recognized the value of good public relations. Early riding drills developed quickly into public exhibitions of horsemanship set to music. Thus the origins of the famous musical ride can be traced back to the 1870s. Although mounted training once required of all recruits has long since disappeared, the musical ride remains an enormously popular public attraction in Canada and elsewhere. The symbolic importance of the Mounties may help to explain why they have retained their popularity in spite of adverse publicity in recent years. The red-coated Mountie with broad-brimmed Stetson hat is a familiar image of Canada around the world. But there is more substance than image to the Mountie. From the beginning of its 125 year history this unique Force has served the Canadian nation and its people by establishing order in the frontier reaches of this vast country. As the nation grew in population and diversity and its communities became more established the Mounted Police adapted, ensuring the peace and security of its citizens across the land. In 1998, the RCMP celebrate this century and a quarter of service with the theme "A Proud History ... A Challenging Future" signifying the commitment of the RCMP to build on its tradition by continuing to meet the security needs of all Canadians.

Officer Ranks

Commissioner	Deputy Commissioner	Assistant Commissioner	Chief Superintendent	Superintendent	Inspector

Non-Officer Ranks

Corps Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major	Staff Sergeant Major	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal