Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; French: Gendarmerie royale du Canada) is Canada’s national police service. It delivers federal policing across the country and, by contract, provides provincial/territorial and municipal policing in most jurisdictions. The RCMP also supplies specialized services—such as forensics, criminal intelligence, and protective policing—to law-enforcement partners in Canada and abroad. Its historic dress uniform includes the iconic red serge and Stetson hat, and its motto is Maintiens le droit (“Defend the law”).

At a glance — Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Type	Federal police service (Crown)
Jurisdiction	Federal policing nationwide; contract policing in most provinces/territories and many municipalities
Legal basis	RCMP Act and related federal statutes; policing agreements with provinces/territories/municipalities
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario (with divisional HQs across Canada)
Training academy	Depot Division (Regina, Saskatchewan)
Motto / languages	Maintiens le droit • English & French
Oversight & review (examples)	Minister of Public Safety (accountable to Parliament); independent complaints & review body; provincial serious-incident investigators
Official site	rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Roles and mandate

The RCMP’s mandate includes:

• Federal policing — Enforce federal laws (e.g., border integrity, organized crime, drugs, firearms, financial crime, cybercrime, national security investigations), protect federal institutions and officials, and provide international policing cooperation.
• Contract and Indigenous policing — Deliver front-line provincial/territorial and municipal policing under cost-shared agreements (all provinces/territories except Ontario and Quebec for provincial policing). Work with Indigenous governments and communities through self-administered and community-tripartite policing arrangements.
• Specialized services — Forensic science & identification, criminal intelligence, witness protection, technical surveillance, emergency response teams, public order units, air and marine services, explosives disposal, incident command, and search and rescue support.
• Protective policing — Security for the Prime Minister and visiting dignitaries, embassies, and some federal sites; coordination for major events.

Organization and governance

• The RCMP is led by a Commissioner and a senior executive team. The service reports to the Minister of Public Safety and supports parliamentary accountability through reports and audits.
• Canada is divided into geographic divisions (lettered A/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/J/K/L/M/O/V and National HQ functions). Each division aligns broadly to a province/territory or region and oversees detachments and specialized units.
• Independent bodies handle public complaints, reviews, and labour matters (e.g., an external complaints & review commission; the RCMP External Review Committee for certain workplace grievances). Provinces/territories operate independent serious-incident investigators (e.g., IIO BC, ASIRT AB, SIU ON, BEI QC) for police-involved deaths/serious harm.

Divisions and where the RCMP polices

Division	Primary area covered	Provincial/territorial policing role
B	Newfoundland and Labrador	Provincial & municipal (contract)
C	Quebec	Federal policing only (province has Sûreté du Québec)
D	Manitoba	Provincial & municipal (contract)
E	British Columbia	Provincial & municipal (contract)
F	Saskatchewan	Provincial & municipal (contract)
G	Northwest Territories	Territorial & community policing (contract)
H	Nova Scotia	Provincial & municipal (contract)
J	New Brunswick	Provincial & municipal (contract)
K	Alberta	Provincial & many municipal (contract)
L	Prince Edward Island	Provincial & municipal (contract)
M	Yukon	Territorial & community policing (contract)
O	Ontario	Federal policing only (province has Ontario Provincial Police)
V	Nunavut	Territorial & community policing (contract)

• Many municipalities (large and small) also contract RCMP municipal detachments; others operate independent police services.*

Core policing programs

Federal policing

Border integrity and organized crime investigations; money laundering and proceeds of crime; cybercrime and child exploitation; national security files with partner agencies; international liaison officers; INTERPOL/Europol cooperation; and participation in joint task forces.

Contract & community policing

General duty patrol, traffic services, investigations, community safety plans, school liaison, crime prevention, and problem-oriented policing. Detachments tailor priorities with local councils and Indigenous leadership.

Specialized response

Emergency Response Teams (ERT), tactical support and negotiators, canine (police dog) services, underwater recovery, air services (fixed- and rotary-wing), marine units (Great Lakes/coastal), explosives disposal, public order/riot control, and major-event security.

Science and data systems

National Forensic Laboratory Services; Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (fingerprints/biometrics); Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC); National DNA Data Bank; National Cybercrime Coordination (NC3); criminal intelligence integration across divisions.

Recruitment, training, and careers

• The RCMP recruits nationally; candidates complete the Cadet Training Program at Depot Division in Regina (law, police tactics, firearms, driving, de-escalation and crisis intervention, cultural safety, and community engagement).
• Members can specialize after general-duty service—investigations, forensics, federal policing, protective operations, ERT, marine/air services, cybercrime, financial integrity, and more.
• Civilian professionals support operations in communications, analytics, intelligence, HR, finance, IT, forensics, and wellness.

Ranks and insignia (regular members)

Commissioned ranks	Non-commissioned ranks
Commissioner	Staff Sergeant Major / Staff Sergeant / Sergeant
Deputy Commissioner	Corporal
Assistant Commissioner	Constable
Chief Superintendent
Superintendent
Inspector

• Specialist appointments and honorary distinctions also exist (e.g., Musical Ride). Insignia feature crowns, stars, pips, and stripes similar to Commonwealth police traditions.*

Uniforms, equipment, and vehicles

• The ceremonial red serge tunic, wide-brim Stetson, Sam Browne belt, breeches, and high brown boots are used for parades, graduations, and the Musical Ride.
• Operational dress includes modern patrol uniforms with protective equipment. Standard kit features a contemporary 9 mm service pistol, conducted energy weapon, soft/hard body armour as required, and less-lethal options.
• Fleet assets include marked/unmarked patrol vehicles, highway and rural 4×4s, marine vessels in select regions, and aircraft used for transport, patrol, and search-and-rescue support.

Musical Ride

The RCMP Musical Ride is a ceremonial unit performing choreographed cavalry drills to music, showcasing horsemanship, pageantry, and the Force’s heritage. It tours nationally and internationally, supporting community engagement and charitable events.

Community relationships and public confidence

The RCMP works with municipalities, provinces/territories, Indigenous governments, NGOs, and community groups to set local priorities and improve outcomes. Ongoing modernization initiatives focus on de-escalation, equity, Indigenous reconciliation, mental-health response, transparency, and technology and data modernization.

Accountability and oversight

• Ministerial accountability to Parliament for overall administration and results.
• An independent, civilian complaints and review body receives and reviews public complaints about member conduct and certain policies; findings and recommendations are published.
• Judicial oversight and statutory frameworks (e.g., Criminal Code, Charter of Rights and Freedoms) govern investigations and evidence handling.
• Provinces/territories operate independent serious-incident investigation units for officer-involved deaths/serious injuries.
• Internal professional responsibility units, audits, use-of-force reporting, and public dashboards (where available) support transparency.

History (brief)

• 1873: Parliament creates the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) to bring Canadian law to the West and support the assertion of sovereignty.
• 1920: The NWMP merges with the Dominion Police to form the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; headquarters move to Ottawa.
• 1950s–present: Expansion of federal policing; contract policing agreements with provinces/territories and many municipalities; modernization of training, equipment, and specialized services.

International cooperation

The RCMP maintains liaison officers abroad, contributes to peacekeeping and capacity-building, and collaborates with international partners through INTERPOL, Europol, and bilateral arrangements on transnational crime and security.

See also

• Public safety in Canada • Emergency management in Canada • Canadian Security Intelligence Service • Canada Border Services Agency
• Statistics Canada • Economy of Canada • Courts of Canada • Criminal Code

External links (official)

• Royal Canadian Mounted Police — Home: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/
• Careers & Depot Division: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/police-officer-careers
• Public complaints & review body: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ (search: “make a complaint”)
• Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC): https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ (search: “CPIC”)
• National DNA Data Bank: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ (search: “DNA Data Bank”)