Mountie group demands criminal probe into force's role in Moncton officers' deaths

The association that representsRCMPofficers is calling on the federal justice minister to order an investigation into the2014 shooting deaths of three MonctonMounties and the wounding of two others to determine if criminal negligence charges are warranted.

Although the national police force is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 26 under the Labour Code forfailing to provide adequate use-of-force equipment and related user training, theMounted Police Professional Association of Canada wants to see the individuals involved in the delayed roll-out of carbine rifles held accountable.

"There's lots of questions that go unanswered and we still want the answers to those questions," said national presidentLouis-Philippe Thriault.

"If you would take any other organization where employees have died,there would have been a parallel criminal investigation, but we haven't got that because we're the RCMP," he said.

"And I think a full [independent] investigation should be mandated by the government so that we can look deeper into everything that happened."

• RCMP should pay maximum $1M in Moncton Mountie shootings, Crown says
• RCMP failed to provide adequate equipment, training in Moncton shootings, judge says
• 'Why was that not part of the trial?': Moncton RCMP got money for carbine rifles 2 years before rampage

In his Sept. 29 ruling,provincial court Judge Leslie Jackson said the RCMP's approach to the roll-out of carbines was "focused on the odds of an event such as the Moncton murders ever happening, rather than on their duty to ensure the health and safety of its members."

Carbines, he said, could have made a differenceon June 4, 2014, when JustinBourquegunned down Codiac Regional RCMPconstablesFabriceGevaudan,DouglasLarche and DaveRoss and wounded constables Darlene Goguen and EricDubois.

Bourquewas armed with anM305.308 semi-automatic rifle and aMossberg500 12-gaugeshotgun.Theresponding officers hadonly pistols.

The trial heard the force knew it needed better weapons seven years before the deadly shootings, and carbines were approved in 2011.

Discovered money for guns

The mounted policeassociationalso recently uncovered"some very disturbing information," said Thriault, who is a constable with theCodiacRegionalRCMPand was working the night of the shootings.

Minutesof a 2011 CodiacRegional Police Authoritymeeting show$16,399.60 was approvedto purchase carbines and train front-line officers that fiscal year.

But that didn't happen and theinformation was not disclosed at the trial, said Thriault, one of several association members now poring over the thousands of pages of trial transcripts, searching for possible evidence of criminal negligence causing death.

Thriault has also sent a letterto Justice Minister JodyWilson-Rayboulddemanding answers.

Why wasn't it evidence?

He wants thegovernment to investigate why the Codiacpolice authorityfailed to bring forward this "vital evidence that would have been highly beneficial to the Labour Code trial."

The association,which represents thousands of members across the country,also wants to know:

• What happened to the funds that were designated by the Codiacauthority in2011 and granted for subsequent years for carbines and training?
• Who in theRCMPstopped the carbine roll-out when the funds were made available in 2011?
• Who in theRCMPshut down the senior officers who made the request for these carbines?

RCMPofficials at the headquarters in Ottawa did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

Thriaultcontends RCMPleadership and management across the country has "never been in a worse state," given the Labour Code conviction, more than 1,100 sexual harassment discrimination claims from women in the force, and privacy breaches related to professional conduct and mental health matters.

"Sadly, the continuing ineptitude of those charged with leading the RCMP has resulted in the unnecessary deaths of officers and other unacceptable and egregious outcomes for force members," his letter states.

"Lives and families have been destroyed because of weak leadership and there is no accountability from anyone."

Maximum fine not enough

Eventhe Crown's recommendation for the maximum$1 million penalty in the Labour Code case is "not near enough to change things," he wrote.

The associationwants to see a new civilian oversight body to govern the RCMPbefore the next commissioner is selected and it wants front-line officers to be part of the search team for a new commissioner.

Department of Justice officials did not respond to a request for an interview.

Thriault said he's optimistic the minister will respond to his letter. If the association doesn't hear back within 30 days, it may organize a rally on Parliament Hill, he said.