An independent workplace assessment of Canada’s civilian RCMP watchdog has revealed a troubling pattern of dysfunction and employee distress, according to documents obtained through access to information requests. The assessment, conducted last year at the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC), paints a concerning picture of an agency tasked with holding the national police force accountable while struggling with its own internal culture.
“There is a clear call for change,” states the workplace assessment report, which details accounts from numerous employees describing a toxic work environment characterized by fear, micromanagement, and a lack of psychological safety. The findings are particularly alarming given the CRCC’s mandate to ensure transparency and accountability within the RCMP.
Commission employees reported feeling undermined and demoralized, with many expressing concerns about leadership practices that left them feeling unheard and undervalued. “The situation has deteriorated to the point where staff morale is severely compromised,” one senior employee stated on condition of anonymity. “How can we effectively oversee police conduct when our own house is in such disorder?”
The assessment was initiated following a surge in employee complaints and departures that raised red flags about the organization’s internal health. Documents reveal that over a dozen experienced investigators and analysts left the commission within an 18-month period, citing workplace culture as a primary factor in their decisions.
CRCC Chair Michelaine Lahaie acknowledged receipt of the assessment in an internal memo but stopped short of committing to specific reforms. “We take the feedback seriously and are reviewing the recommendations,” Lahaie wrote, while defending the commission’s overall work in providing civilian oversight of the RCMP.
Critics, including former employees and policing experts, argue that internal dysfunction directly impacts the commission’s ability to fulfill its watchdog mandate. “An organization that cannot maintain a healthy workplace cannot effectively scrutinize others,” said Dr. Kelsey Thompson, a policing accountability researcher at York University. “The public relies on the CRCC to ensure the RCMP is held to account, and these findings undermine confidence in that oversight mechanism.”
The assessment recommended several immediate changes, including leadership training, improved internal communications, and the establishment of a respectful workplace committee with representation from all levels of the organization. It also called for regular follow-up assessments to measure progress.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino’s office has declined to comment specifically on the workplace assessment but stated that “effective civilian oversight of law enforcement is a cornerstone of public trust in policing.” The minister’s spokesperson added that they expect all federal agencies to maintain workplaces free from harassment and toxicity.
This revelation comes at a challenging time for the CRCC, which has been criticized for lengthy delays in handling public complaints against the RCMP and limited powers to enforce its recommendations. A Canada News investigation last year found that the RCMP rejected or only partially implemented nearly 40% of the commission’s recommendations over the past five years.
Opposition critics have seized on the workplace assessment as further evidence of needed reform. “How can Canadians trust an oversight body that can’t even maintain a functional workplace?” asked Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho. “This government needs to either fix the CRCC or replace it with something that works.”
Labor representatives for commission employees have called for immediate action on the assessment’s recommendations, warning that continued inaction risks further deterioration of the workplace and the commission’s ability to fulfill its mandate. “This isn’t just about employee satisfaction—it’s about the integrity of police oversight in Canada,” said union representative Jean-Michel Boudreau.
As public scrutiny of policing practices intensifies across Canada, the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms becomes increasingly crucial. The question now facing both the CRCC and the government is whether meaningful reform can occur quickly enough to restore both internal workplace health and public confidence in the commission’s vital oversight role.
Will Canada’s civilian police oversight system be able to reform itself, or will it take external intervention to ensure that those who watch the watchers are themselves functioning effectively?
