Operational priorities

On this page

• Serious and organized crime
• National security
• Youth
• Indigenous communities
• Economic integrity

Serious and organized crime

What is organized crime?

Under the Criminal Code (Section 467.1), organized crime is defined as being composed of three or more persons, having as one of its main purposes a serious offence likely to result in a financial benefit. So, just about any type of illicit activity can be undertaken by organized crime groups, as long as there is money to be made. Identity theft, human trafficking, sex crimes against children, credit card fraud and counterfeit goods, just to name a few, can, and often do have links to organized crime.

The impact of organized crime

Organized crime affects the daily lives of Canadians. You may not be aware of it, but it can affect the taxes you pay (tax revenue losses from contraband tobacco and alcohol); your car insurance premiums (higher auto insurance due to car thefts by organized crime rings); your banking fees (banks recovering fraud costs); even your safety and health (drug-related violence, faulty counterfeit goods, and neighborhood marihuana grow operations).

Globalization and rapid advances in technology have contributed to the expansion and internationalization of organized crime activities; Canadians can easily fall victim to organized crime groups operating outside of our borders, (identity theft, internet, e-mail scams, phishing, etc.), making it a global problem that cannot be fought solely within our borders.

The violence and corrupting effect of organized crime groups are mainstays of primary activities, which greatly affect every Canadian's right to safety and security.

Plans and priorities

The RCMP is committed to safe homes and safe communities for all Canadians, and to accomplish this we identified the fight against organized crime as a strategic priority in 2001. Using an intelligence-led, integrated approach, the RCMP is focusing its activities on reducing the threat and impact of organized crime. In fulfilling its mandate, the RCMP is working closely with domestic and international partners in a sustained effort to dismantle today's criminal groups. To contribute to a successful outcome, the RCMP will:

• reduce the total harmful effects caused by organized crime by disrupting illicit markets
• improve the quality of the criminal intelligence/information process
• share intelligence with partners and cooperate with enforcement units at the municipal, national and international levels
• formulate an up-to-date picture of the threat of organized crime and prioritize investigations
• provide scientific and technical support and new technologies to enhance investigative abilities
• enhance public awareness of the dangers and impacts of organized crime
• reduce demand for illicit products

National security

Anything that impacts the fabric of Canadian society could be considered a threat to national security. The RCMP will focus its efforts on: espionage or sabotage against Canada; foreign influenced activities detrimental to the interests of Canada; activities directed toward or in support of the threat or use of acts of serious violence against Canadians for political, religious or ideological objectives; and, activities leading to the destruction or overthrow by violence of the government of Canada.

The greatest threat to Canada's national security is the threat of terrorist criminal activity in Canada and abroad. The RCMP's role is to prevent, detect, deny and respond to this criminal activity. There is an organizational necessity to ensure that our response to the threat of terrorist criminal activity is strategically aligned, focused and centrally controlled by National Headquarters. We need to ensure capacity and capability to achieve a multifaceted approach including outreach/awareness at all levels of policing with communities and partners, prevention, strategic analysis, information/intelligence sharing, and enforcement.

Our investigative successes are largely determined by our flexibility, leadership and collaboration with foreign and domestic law enforcement partners. We must continue to become more proactive and responsive in accordance with the level of threat.

This end-state can be achieved by maintaining a nation-wide integrated national security Criminal Investigations Program; by continuously improving our information sharing practices with other federal agencies and partners consistent with current policies; by developing outreach and education strategies that will lead to the engagement of stakeholders across the country and assist Canadians in avoiding being victimized; and, by ensuring the situational awareness of the RCMP Senior Executive and the Government of Canada on the status of the threat environment.

Finally, we must also enhance our abilities to evaluate lessons learned to better equip the RCMP to prevent, detect, deny and respond to criminal activity.

Plans and priorities

The RCMP is committed to working in partnership with both domestic and foreign agencies to enhance prevention measures against terrorist criminal activity in Canada and abroad.

The RCMP national security strategy will "Conduct focused and effective criminal investigations".

The RCMP will:

• counter criminal threats to the security of Canada
• establish and maintain relationships
• enhance information management
• conduct focused and effective criminal investigations
• influence public policy

Learn more about national security

• National security criminal investigations

Youth

One of the RCMP's five strategic priorities is to reduce youth involvement in crime, both as victims and/or offenders.

Our current priority issues are:

• Bullying and Cyberbullying
• Youth Radicalization to Violence
• Gender-based Violence,
• Substance Misuse, and
• Enhanced Road Safety

In order to reduce youth crime and victimization, the RCMP aims to:

• Support sustainable long-term responses
• Support approaches that are consistent with the Youth Criminal Justice Act
• Focus on risk factors, prevention and early intervention
• Promote youth engagement and empowerment

To help achieve these goals, the RCMP focuses on:

Outreach and engagement

Increasing youth awareness and influencing youth behavior through behaviour modeling, mentoring, active learning and engaging youth to positively influence their peers, school and community.

This includes:

• school-based prevention initiatives
• community engagement
• youth consultation
• youth-police partnerships
• on-line resources
• technology-enabled engagement

Intervention and diversion

Intervening with youth offenders and victims of crime to address underlying causes of crime and victimization through direct programming, multi-agency partnerships and referrals to community programs.

This includes:

• extra-judicial measures
• restorative justice approaches
• multi-agency partnerships

Many schools across RCMP jurisdictions have an assigned School Resource Officer who acts as a key contact for youth, parents and teachers in a specific school or group of schools. School Resource Officers support community policing efforts and often assist in delivering RCMP programs and local initiatives to youth.

The RCMP's Centre for Youth Crime Prevention website provides youth, police officers and adult youth educators with tools and resources to assist them in their interactions with youth in schools and the community. The site encourages effective youth engagement through critical thinking and provides resources on youth crime and victimization issues such as bullying, online safety, sexual consent, and drug-impaired and distracted driving, among other social issues facing youth.

It is important that young people have the opportunity to provide their perspective on issues that affect them since they are key players in the prevention of crime in communities. Understanding their perspective enables police officers to interact more effectively with and better understand youth. The RCMP National Youth Advisory Committee brings together youth from all over Canada to discuss important issues that they face in their respective communities, while providing valuable input to the RCMP's policies, programs and strategies.

The RCMP believes that the long-term prevention of youth crime and victimization can only be accomplished in partnership with the community. For this reason, the RCMP works closely with local organizations and social services so that young people who come into contact with the police, as either victims or offenders, receive the help they need to overcome the challenges in their lives.

For more information or to request a copy of the National Youth Strategy, please contact: CYCP_CPCJ@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

Indigenous communities

Contributing to safer and healthier Indigenous communities is one of the five strategic priorities of the RCMP. Delivering culturally competent police services provides the foundation necessary to build relationships and partnerships with the more than 600 Indigenous communities we serve.

Our shared and unique history with Indigenous Peoples provides an environment in which we can work collaboratively to improve community health and wellness. We are committed to continue building upon these relationships as we encourage, sustain and foster honest and open dialogue among Indigenous partners. As we work together, the RCMP is in a position to assist and advocate for Indigenous communities at a local and national level.

We contribute to safer and healthier Indigenous communities by:

• promoting and encouraging the recruitment of Indigenous Peoples as potential employees and police officers
• working collaboratively with the communities to ensure enhanced and optimized service delivery by developing relevant and culturally competent police services
• contributing to the development of community capacity to prevent crime through on-going social development
• maintaining and strengthening partnerships with Indigenous communities, our policing and government partners, stakeholders and with Indigenous organizations
• promoting and using alternative / community justice initiatives for Indigenous Peoples
• demonstrating value for service through the development, management and evaluation of the detachment performance plan created in collaboration with the local Indigenous communities
• contributing to public policy development and implementation and development to assist in building safer, and healthier Indigenous communities

Economic integrity

The types of crimes driven by the motivation for profit are extensive and certainly not victimless. Illegal economic activity either robs or diverts funds away from hard-working Canadians. The confidence of Canadian consumers and investors in their economy can be shaken - their economic security undermined and their trust in institutions put at risk. Examples of crimes that impact Canada's economic integrity include:

• an employee engages in insider trading, defrauding company stockholders out of millions
• an individual files a false insurance claim for a staged auto accident, contributing to a rise in insurance rates
• an organized criminal group finances activities by manufacturing and selling counterfeit batteries, threatening the safety of Canadians and diverting profit from legitimate business
• a restaurant merchant uses a sophisticated payment card reader to overcharge its patrons, stealing their money and personal information
• an individual from another country engages in a telemarketing scam, taking the life-savings of a recently-retired Canadian senior

The nature of crimes that affect the economy is rapidly changing. In the face of globalization and technological progress, criminals are operating beyond jurisdictions using sophisticated and continuously-evolving methods to find victims. Law enforcement plays an important role in strengthening and preserving the security and economic interests of Canada. However, maintaining Canada's economic integrity is a complex issue that must be tackled in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, governments at all levels, the private sector and our international partners. Together, we must work to ensure that Canadians have confidence in their financial, currency and market systems.

Plans and priorities

The RCMP will adopt economic integrity as a new strategic priority for 2006-2007 with a focus on preventing, detecting and deterring crimes that affect the Canadian economy. Education, awareness and enforcement initiatives to support the priority will be drawn from existing and newly-developed programs. We will continue to work with key partners and consult and engage our communities in driving out this new priority, with a strategic focus on the counterfeiting of currency and on corruption wherever it might occur.

The RCMP will:

• communicate effectively with citizens, partners and stakeholders
• enhance public awareness of the methods to reduce and prevent economic crimes
• formulate an up-to-date picture of the risks to confidence in Canada's economy and prioritize investigations
• improve the quality of the intelligence/information process
• impact crime through education, prevention and awareness
• contribute to confidence in monetary, financial and market systems
• share intelligence with partners, and cooperate with enforcement units at the municipal, national and international levels
• reduce opportunity for crimes impacting Canadian market and financial systems with our partners

Date modified:

2024-02-05