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Royal Canadian Mounted Police Media Relations and Issues Managem

Help name the RCMP puppies

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The 13 future police dogs were born at the Police Dog Service Training Centre (PDSTC) in Innisfail, Alberta.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are asking Canadians to help name the German Shepherd puppies.

Children aged 4 to 14 can submit one suggestion each.

This year, the names must start with the letter B, have one or two syllables, and be nine letters or less.

Thirteen names will be chosen, and winners will each receive a laminated photo of the pup they name, a plush dog named Justice and an RCMP water bottle.

Entries must be received by March 26.

A German Shepherd puppy that is black and sable runs on the grass. (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Mounted Police Media Relations and Issues Management)

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RCMP launch public sex offender database

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A new tool to investigate and prevent sexual crimes against children was launched by the RCMP Thursday.

The High Risk Child Sex Offender Database is a national, publicly accessible tool.

The first of its kind in Canada, the database contains information about people who have been found guilty of a sexual offence against children and are considered a high risk to reoffend.

“Protecting children from sexual offences and exploitation is a responsibility we all share and is a priority for the RCMP,” said RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme.

Duheme said the database will provide Canadians with a tool to get informed and take appropriate precautions.

“It also helps the law enforcement community share information more seamlessly on offenders amongst themselves,” he said.

The database contains information previously released to the public by a police service or public authority. Only offenders deemed as a high risk to commit a crime of a sexual nature are included.

“The High-Risk Child Sex Offender Database will help to protect children and their communities from harm by providing law enforcement agencies with an additional tool to ensure appropriate monitoring of high-risk offenders as well as providing the public with verified information to support their personal safety,” said Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.

“Children are amongst the most vulnerable members in our society, and our government is committed to keeping them safe.”

The RCMP will rely on provincial, territorial and municipal authorities to recommend the inclusion of individuals in the database.

The database isn’t affiliated with the National Sex Offender Registry. The registry is a national registration system for sex offenders convicted of designated sex offences and ordered by the courts to report to police annually. The registry is only accessible to law enforcement.

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Mounties launch new online option to report fraud and cybercrime

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The RCMP want to make it easier for Canadians to report cybercrime and fraud.

Mounties say the information gathered on the new Report Cybercrime and Fraud website will help police solve cases and disrupt criminal activity.

The information gathered from these reports is geared to form a more complete picture of how these threats are affecting Canadians and ultimately prevent further victimization.

“The idea behind this is to simplify the process,” says Jeff Horncastle with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. “The new system offers a range of reporting options depending on the type of incident that the user has experienced and how much knowledge they have about fraud or cybercrime.”

He adds users can report for themselves, others or for businesses and organizations.

As well, the new system is not a replacement for existing reporting channels so the call centre will remain open.

It is estimated that less than 10 per cent of cybercrimes and fraud are reported in Canada, possibly due to embarrassment, fear of reputational damage, or a lack of awareness of what resources are available.

The RCMP says allowing people to do report online and anonymously on the new system will help bring those numbers up.

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Youth facing child porn charges related to violent extremism group

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A youth is facing several child pornography charges that involve a violent, online extremist group, according to police.

In May, the RCMP and the Halifax Regional Police started investigating a youth who was an active member of an online group called 764, a subgroup of the Com Network.

Police say they often target children, youth and vulnerable adults and manipulate them into sharing intimate images or sharing images of violence against themselves and others.

Halifax Regional Police Chief Don MacLean says it happens on apps like Discord and Telegram and games like Roblox and Minecraft.

“There are parental controls on many apps that you should familiarize yourself with and use, but most importantly, look very closely at how, when and where your child is using the internet,” MacLean told reporters during a news conference Tuesday.

They say no local victims have been identified, but MacLean says our community is “not immune to the probability that local children and/or youth are being targeted by these or other predators.”

The youth was released on conditions, but more charges are possible as the investigation continues.

They also would not say how many instances of child pornography the accused had created.

“There is copious amounts of chat data, digital evidence to go through,” said RCMP Sgt. Danielle Pollock.

“The generalized answer is, did we investigate to stop the issue? Yes, we did. Are we continuing to investigate to save and protect other youth? We are continuing to do that,” she said.

Officials say there is no evidence yet to suggest the accused was also a victim of the group.

“But through the course of how this network works, victims can be groomed to then become a predator online,” said Dave Boon, Superintendent of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division.

 Tips for parents

Officials say these predators can sometimes groom victims for months, working to gain their trust or start a romantic relationship, and then manipulating the victims.

According to the RCMP, they use their power over the victims and coerce them into recording videos or taking photos of them, siblings or others:

  • in sexually explicit poses
  • sexual acts
  • hurting animals, including family pets
  • harming others or self-harming
  • or other acts of violence
  • suicide

Police say parents should talk to their children about online safety and privacy, and they offer some tips, including:

  • If your child plays video games and uses chat features, put controls on who they can talk to. Check in to see who they are talking to and what kinds of conversations they are having.
  • They say you should encourage youth not use headphones when they play games and to get them to play in a shared family area so parents can monitor what they are doing online.
  • Remind children not to share any personal details about their name, school, address photos or videos on social media or gaming apps.
  • Be aware of who your children are talking to and take note of if they start to become more private or withdrawn. Also, encourage them to talk to a trusted adult if someone makes them feel uncomfortable or pressures them to do something.

Police say anyone with information about online extremist groups should call.

“We’re not trying to scare folk, but at the same time, our best defense against this is transparency, is being out there and knowing what’s going on and ensuring that you know our youth have our help,” said MacLean.

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Federal Court of Appeal gives life to class action against federal government

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A proposed class action by RCMP officers may be back on track following a ruling last month.

The original claim was filed in September 2020 against the Attorney General of Canada on behalf of a proposed class of current and former regular members of the RCMP who have experienced an operational stress injury (OSI).

An OSI refers to a persistent psychological difficulty resulting from some experience members have had on the job.

The claim alleged that the Crown failed to deliver adequate and timely mental health support services to address class members’ needs.

“It is asserted that the Crown has enabled a work environment that discourages access of care by class members and suppresses acknowledgement of mental disability,” said a press release from Wagners, the law firm representing the class members.

In August 2023, a Federal Court judge dismissed the application to certify the proceeding as a class action.

The decision was made in part on the basis that class members may already be eligible to receive a disability pension from Veterans Affairs Canada for their OSIs, barring the class action under the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act.

The same judge also ruled that because three proposed representative plaintiffs were receiving such a pension, they couldn’t lead the action.

On Sept. 29, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned that earlier decision, finding the allegations made by the plaintiffs were legally sufficient and didn’t completely overlap with the Veterans Affairs pension scheme.

The case has now been returned to Federal Court to complete the certification hearing.

The representative plaintiffs, David Combden, Kelly McQuade and Graham Walsh issued a statement calling the victory an important step toward “creating a more supportive environment for the staggering number of members suffering from PTSD and psychological impairments.”

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Historical Residential School Assault Charge Going To Court

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A historical case of assault from a residential school is going to court.

RCMP in Manitoba have laid charges against a retired priest in connection to an indecent assault against a victim that was 10 years old at the time.

The child was at the Fort Alexander Residential School in the late 60’s, which was located north east of Winnipeg.

The school was located on the Sagkeeng First Nation, which was called the Fort Alexander Reserve previously.

With over 700 interactions across North America, RCMP collected 75 witness and victim statements since the investigation started in 2010.

The 92 year old suspect, Father Arthur Masse, was released to his home with conditions. He will be back in court on July 20th.

Fort Alexander Residential School operated from 1904 until 1970 according to archives from the National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation.

Please contact the Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419), which is available 24 hours a day if you’re experiencing pain or distress from a residential school experience.

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RCMP Officer Killed In Saskatchewan

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A 26-year-old Mountie in southern Saskatchewan has died in the line of duty.

Const. Shelby Patton was killed during a traffic stop in Wolseley, east of Regina, on Saturday morning.

Police say Patton was struck by the pick-up truck, which had been reported stolen from Manitoba.

A man and a woman who were in the truck were arrested about two hours after the incident.

Alphonse Stanley Traverse, 41, and Marlene Velma Louise Pagee, 42, both of Winnipeg, are facing a number of charges, including manslaughter and failure to stop after an accident resulting in death.

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Fatal Crashes In Eastern Manitoba

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A 20 year old man from Prince George, BC has been identified as the victim of a three vehicle collision near Falcon Lake, Manitoba.

The crash took place on the Trans-Canada Highway around 4:30 Sunday afternoon, when an eastbound vehicle struck a pick-up truck in the on-coming lane of traffic and then collided with a westbound semi.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the pick-up truck and the transport were not injured, but the crash closed the highway for several hours.

That same morning around 4:05, Steinhbach RCMP received a report of a vehicle-pedestrian collision on Highway 1, west of Richer.

Police say a westbound semi struck a 46 year old man from Steinbach, who was walking on the highway.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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NAN Calling For RCMP Review

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The Nishnawbe Aski Nation is calling for an investigation into systemic racism and the use of force against Indigenous People by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler is speaking out following the recent deaths and policy brutality at the hands of police since April.

Fiddler stresses “Canadians have been shocked to see First Nations leadership brutalized and bloodied by RCMP in recent weeks. We have seen the tapes and heard the excuses, but what we have not seen is a committed federal response to eradicate systemic racism and the misuse of force against Indigenous Peoples by the RCMP.”

He says he is writing to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging him to immediately launch a comprehensive, independent, and transparent investigation.

Fiddler stresses the path forward may include dismantling the RCMP given that it is not enough to simply adopt new policies or have more cultural training for officers.

“Meaningful investment in mental health supports and crisis interventions that embody the mandate of public safety must be explored and implemented.” says Fiddler.

He adds “It is time for the Government of Canada to prioritize sustainable, respectful and long-term changes to a policing system that is steeped in colonial traditions and has completely failed Indigenous Peoples.”

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Fatal Crash Near Ontario/Manitoba Boundary

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A 55 year old Winnipeg man is dead following a motorcycle crash in Whiteshell Provincial Park.

The RCMP say they were called out around 3:00 Sunday afternoon to a collision on Highway 44 north of Falcon Beach.

The Mounties say a group of motorcycles were travelling west near Highway 312 when one rider lost control and ended up in the ditch.

The driver of the motorcycle was taken to hospital but died en route.

Police say speed and alcohol don’t appear to be factors in the crash.

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