RCMP National Headquarters terminated the Auxiliary Program on April 1, 2020. As a result, the Director of Police Services recently communicated to RCMP E-Division that all Auxiliary members must temporarily suspend all activities. The Province is unable to consider renewing or making new appointments until RCMP National Headquarters finalizes an MOU with the Province for a new Auxiliary Program.
Despite the decision by RCMP National Headquarters to terminate the Auxiliary Program, the Province has continued to receive requests for re-appointments of members whose status had previously expired. There is concern that some members continue to operate under a program that is no longer active, and that does not yet have appropriate guidelines or a legal framework established to ensure the safety of its members or the public.
No renewals or new appointments will be considered until RCMP National Headquarters finalizes and enters into an MOU agreement with the Province to provide the framework for the new tiered program, or until a separate BC model is implemented, whichever comes first. A finalized MOU would allow for the operation of the new RCMP Tier 3 Auxiliary Program.
The Director of Police Services has requested that the RCMP E-Division advise all local detachments accordingly. Detachment Commanders are expected to advise local governments as a result.
The Province continues to identify alternative models and explore options, while also advancing discussions with stakeholders through the following forums:
- the ongoing Police Modernization project (i.e., Police Act review);
- the Auxiliary Program – BC Model Working Group, which includes RCMP and local government representatives (see below for more information); and,
- the Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee.
Further information on the status of the program will be provided as it becomes available.
Background Information:
• Auxiliary Program: RCMP National Headquarters terminated the Auxiliary Program following an evaluation of the program that was triggered by events where the safety and security of Auxiliary members were put at risk. As a result, the legacy program officially ceased to exist on April 1, 2020.
• New Tiered Auxiliary Program: RCMP National Headquarters has since replaced the legacy program with a new national Auxiliary Program, where duties and responsibilities are assigned based on a three-tier model.
In February 2020, the UBCM Executive, anticipating the termination of the legacy Auxiliary Program, endorsed a motion seeking the temporary implementation of the new Auxiliary Program at the Tier 3 level while a BC-only program was under consideration. This motion reflects the importance of auxiliary policing in many BC communities that rely on this supplemental option to address seasonal demands, events and other enforcement duties; as well as the long-term objective of implementing a provincial program that meets the needs of local governments.
Upon consideration and receipt of comments from stakeholders, including UBCM, the Province agreed to implement the new RCMP Auxiliary Program at the Tier 3 level, at least temporarily. Since then, all provinces and territories have been working with RCMP National Headquarters to negotiate the agreement’s MOU and establish legal frameworks necessary to implement this option; however, the new RCMP Auxiliary Program and its requirements (such as training and uniforms) have not yet been finalized, and timelines remain uncertain.
For additional information regarding the new program, please visit the RCMP Auxiliary program webpage.
• BC Model: Following broad consultation with stakeholders and partners (including UBCM) regarding the proposed new RCMP Auxiliary Program, it was determined that this model does not meet all the needs of local governments. For this reason, the Province is working with stakeholders to develop an alternative model that would be implemented in BC only (i.e., the BC model). As a result, a Working Group was appointed in February 2021 to make appropriate recommendations that will necessitate revisions to the Police Act. The Working Group is composed of Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General staff, local government staff and elected representatives, UBCM staff, and RCMP E-Division staff. The work is complex, and outcomes and timelines remain uncertain at this time. As a result of this uncertainty, the Province agreed to implement the new tiered Auxiliary Program as an interim stop-gap measure, and provincial staff continue to work with RCMP National Headquarters to establish this option.