Quick facts about RCMP in N.B.

The New Brunswick Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE)

An integrated team with highly-trained investigators who:

• Locate, assist, and support child victims of online sexual abuse
• Identify those criminally responsible
• Conduct undercover investigations on open and dark web
• Liaise with national and international police forces and agencies
• Are comprised of RCMP and municipal police forces

New Brunswick Internet Child Exploitation Unit statistics:

• 958% increase in files between 2015 and 2022, including 522 new investigations in 2022
• 1003 new investigations since 2020
• 213 children safeguarded between 2015 and 2022
• 42 residential search warrants executed since 2021, resulting in 28 arrests and 68 charges laid
• 104% increase in financially motivated sextortion files reported from Cybertip.ca in 2022
• Average of 70 reports of sextortion per week in Canada

How to protect our youth from becoming a victim:

• Educate yourself on internet safety using Cybertip.ca material
• Speak with youth about safe internet usage, start at an early age, and be aware of what they are doing online
• Educate youth on the dangers of sharing personal information, including pictures and videos

What to do if a youth becomes victim:

• Report to cybertip.ca and/or local police
• Ensure the child has proper support
• Ask if images or videos have been shared
• Gather basic information such as:
  • social media platforms used
  • usernames
  • timelines
  • nature of incidents or threats
• If any payments were made, record method of payment
• Secure any evidence possible

How YOU can help

The New Brunswick RCMP is committed to keeping our communities safe, but we can't do it alone. We all need to work together to solve and prevent crime, and to address serious issues in our communities.

If you are the victim of crime, report it to police as soon as possible:

• Call 911 in emergencies and urgent situations
• Call 1-888-506-RCMP/1-888-506-1GRC for non-urgent situations
• Use Online Crime Reporting for mischief/damage to property/thefts under $5000

Police must respond to urgent calls for service first. We take all reports of crime seriously. Every report helps us identify crime trends and manage our resources effectively.

If you have information about a crime, or that can assist an ongoing investigation:

• Call 911 in emergencies and urgent situations
• Call 1-888-506-RCMP/1-888-506-1GRC for non-urgent situations
• Contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca

Complex issues take complex solutions. The RCMP works diligently with communities and stakeholders on societal issues such as drug addiction and homelessness, but these issues cannot be solved by enforcement alone.

Did you know?

• The New Brunswick RCMP employs 1,254 people^{Infographic summer 2021 footnote 1}
• 856 Regular Members
• 398 non-uniformed employees
• 37% female RCMP employees, including reg. members
• 6.3% of NB RCMP members are Indigenous^{Infographic summer 2021 footnote 2}
• $157 million spent by the NB RCMP in fiscal year 2019-2020
• The majority of this money is invested back into NB communities by:
  • Employees who pay taxes, own properties, purchase goods and services, and donate to local charities
  • RCMP purchases of equipment and supplies

RCMP Police officers

• Conduct investigations and operations
• Make arrests and pursue charges
• Conduct patrols and traffic enforcement

RCMP Officers are also required to

• Attend sudden deaths
• Investigate reports of missing people
• Respond to Mental Health Act calls
• Attend court
• Liaise with local elected officials
• Conduct curfew checks

Urgent calls that must be responded to by police are out priority. Other obligations – while important – may have to wait. The Telephone Response Team or Call-Back Unit may handle calls that do not require police presence.

Are we short-staffed?

Resources are based on workload and other factors, not minimum numbers of police officers. There are always enough RCMP police officers to respond to urgent priority calls, and to ensure officer safety.

Parental leave? Sick leave? Vacation? Like any other employer, the RCMP manages these pressures on a daily basis to ensure appropriate staffing.

Could we use more members? Sure! More members would allow us to do more work. More members also cost more.

Bills and budgets

The New Brunswick Department of Public Safety gives a budget to the RCMP. The RCMP is accountable to the Province for that budget while providing effective policing, but we don't bill municipalities for our services. Questions on costs of RCMP services should be directed to Public Safety.

A balancing act

Communities want a more visible police presence and lower policing costs – it's not possible to have both. If communities want more RCMP service and are willing to pay, they should reach out to Public Safety.

RSC quarterly reports

Policing means we can't be at every council meeting but members are always available to discuss operational issues with local elected officials. RCMP RSC reports provide consistent, accurate data in keeping with the RSC local governance structure laid out by the New Brunswick Government.

Remember the "Public" in Public Safety. Everyone can help make their communities safer; take personal precautions such as locking your doors, and report crime and suspicious activity to police.

Whether urgent or non-urgent, every call for service to the RCMP is important. Just like a hospital, the RCMP must triage calls to ensure the most serious incidents are dealt with first and that resources are being used to their best advantage. Members of the public can help this efficiency by using the appropriate channel to make their report.

Urgent

Urgent calls received via 911 go to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). RCMP Operational calls are received by the RCMP Operational Communications Centre (OCC).

Non-urgent

Non-urgent calls can be received via walk-ins to RCMP detachments, calls to RCMP detachments, or calls after hours to 1-888-506-RCMP/1-888-506-1GRC.

All calls are triaged to assess if the call is urgent. If it's urgent, it is dispatched to police officers for investigation, if required. If it's non-urgent, the call is assessed to determine if in-person follow-up from a police officer is required. If yes, it is dispatched to police officers for investigation, if required. If no, it is dispatched to the Alternate Response Unit^{Infographic calls for service footnote 1}.

Examples of urgent calls

• Incidents involving serious injury or death
• Serious crimes in progress
• Incidents where someone's life is in danger

Examples of non-urgent calls

• Minor vehicle crash with no injuries
• Information-only files
• Lost items
• Computer hacking, identity theft or telephone fraud

By the numbers

• In 2020, RCMP responded to 144,486 calls for service
• 13% of these calls were handled by the Alternate Response Unit, freeing up police officers to respond to other calls

Did you know?

Specialized Policing Services (SPS) provides critical frontline operational support services to the RCMP, provincial law enforcement and criminal justice partners, as well as national and select foreign organizations.

Specialized Policing Services has:

• An RCMP investment of $15 million
• 114 specialized policing professionals in 21 areas of expertise, ready to deploy 24/7
• EDU: 4 post-blast investigators, 5 explosives forced entry experts, and 5 homemade explosives investigators
• ERT: 16 frontline specialists who undergo 1,000 hours of training annually
• STO: 66 frontline policing specialists
• Air services plane, helicopter and drone

Major Crime Unit

Investigates serious crimes such as:

• New and unsolved homicides
• Attempted homicides
• Suspicious deaths and disappearances
• High-profile cases

Police Dog Services

Provides investigative support such as:

• Narcotics, firearms and explosives detection
• Tracking suspects and searching crime scenes
• Search and rescue operations

Crisis Negotiation Team

A highly-trained team deployed to de-escalate:

• Kidnappings
• Barricaded persons

Special Tactical Operations

A specially-trained team that responds to:

• Public order events and unlawful assemblies
• Natural or human-caused emergencies
• Major events and community safety patrols

Forensic Identification Services

Provides investigative support such as:

• Identification, collection, and preservation of physical evidence found at crime scenes
• Scientific analysis and interpretation of forensic evidence
• Forensic imaging services, including facial compositions, skull reconstructions, aging and restorations

Explosives Disposal Unit

Provides investigative support such as:

• Disarmament and disposal of improvised explosive devices and other devices
• Explosives clearance of buildings and automobiles for high-level VIP visits
• Disarmament and disposal of unwanted, abandoned, or illegal possession of commercial explosives

Integrated Technological Crime Unit

A highly-trained team tasked with providing:

• Specialized technological expertise for investigations into crimes using digital devices
• Forensic analysis of electronic media and digital devices
• Interpretation of digital data to support criminal intelligence

Underwater Recovery Team

Provides investigative support such as:

• Search and recovery
• Evidence retrieval

Emergency Response Team

A highly-trained team deployed to resolve high-risk situations such as:

• Armed and barricaded persons
• High-risk searches and arrests
• Aircraft or marine interventions
• VIP and witness protection duties

Internet Child Exploitation Unit

An integrated team with highly-trained investigators tasked with :

• Proactively and retroactively seeking out child predators online
• Locating and assisting child victims of sexual abuse
• Identifying those criminally responsible, capturing electronic evidence and recommending charges
• Conducting undercover and peer-to-peer investigations
• Leading provincial Internet Child Exploitation investigations, and liaising with national/international police forces and agencies

The New Brunswick RCMP is responsible for issuing Alert Ready messages when there is a police-involved incident that could pose a serious threat to public safety, or an Amber Alert.

Alert Ready messages will be broadcast on:

• Radio
• Television
• Compatible wireless devices

If you receive an Alert Ready message:

• Follow the instructions in the Alert until instructed otherwise
• Follow the New Brunswick RCMP on Facebook and/or Twitter for non-critical updates
• Check with loved ones in the affected area to ensure they're aware of what's happening
• Do not call 911 unless you have an emergency or information specific to the incident the Alert was issued for
• Do not share police locations, or photos of police operations during the incident

Significant updates will be issued via Alert Ready message.

What are the criteria for an Alert Ready in New Brunswick?

An Alert Ready message can only be initiated if all of the following criteria are met:

• There is an active threat to the public
• The critical incident could cause the public serious bodily harm or death
• There is sufficient descriptive detail of the critical incident to provide to the public
• Issuing the Alert could assist in minimizing potential victims
• Issuing an Alert could assist with obtaining more information

Did you know?

The RCMP uses a variety of methods to communicate during a critical incident, including:

• Alert Ready
• social media
• news releases
• media interviews
• direct conversations with affected residents and organizations.

We will share information as frequently as we can while protecting the ongoing investigation.

Why didn't I get the Alert?

Alert Ready messages are only sent to wireless devices in the affected area. If you are in the affected area and did not get the Alert Ready message, contact your service provider.

Why isn't an Alert Ready message issued right away?

Police need time to respond to a call, assess the situation, and gather credible information. We make decisions based on the information we have at the time. We will err on the side of caution when it comes to public safety.

Be patient

Police will not conclude an Alert until we are confident there is no further risk to the general public, and that sometimes takes time. Your patience and cooperation when an Alert Ready message is issued will help keep people safe.

Every report of a missing person is taken seriously by the New Brunswick RCMP, and is thoroughly investigated. It does not matter if someone has been reported missing before, or what their personal circumstances are - our priority is always to ensure the health and safety of the person reported missing.

• In 2020, NB RCMP investigated 1,310 reports of missing persons.
• In 2020, NB RCMP issued 115 news releases about missing persons.

We only issue news releases about missing persons if there is an urgent need to locate them to ensure their safety, or if all other investigative methods have been exhausted.

Why are there so many missing persons reports?

There are many reasons why someone may be reported missing. The RCMP's priority is to ensure the individual's safety – we do not share information about personal circumstances.

• The majority of missing persons are located safely within hours of being reported missing
• Very few missing persons cases are related. If cases are related, police will share that information if the case is made public

Please do not contribute to rumours and misinformation by speculating on circumstances, or attempting to connect individual cases without accurate information from police.

The RCMP takes an individual's right to privacy very seriously

• We only share information about why someone is reported missing when it is specifically relevant to the investigation
• Once a missing person is located, we remove all their personal information – including photos, names, and personal descriptions – from our website and social media channels
• If you report someone missing, you may not get information about their whereabouts once police determine they are safe

If you ever have to report someone missing

Contact police or 911 immediately if you have concerns about their personal safety. Do not wait 24 hours before calling.

Police will ask for:

• Full name of missing person
• Physical description – height, weight, hair colour, eye colour, etc.
• Where they were last seen
• What they were last seen wearing
• (if relevant) Details of the vehicle they were driving
• A recent photograph

Our priority is to ensure a person's safety if they are reported missing. Police must have direct contact with the individual reported missing to conclude an investigation.

How you can help police find missing persons

• Share RCMP social media posts and news releases about missing persons
• Contact police immediately if you have information that can help locate a missing person

Policing is about people. The New Brunswick RCMP is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion among our employees and in the communities we serve. Our diverse backgrounds provide invaluable experience, broaden understanding, strengthen relationships and maximize engagement.

What's in a name?

Respectful dialogue begins with appropriate vocabulary. The RCMP consults widely to ensure the words we use are reflective and respectful of all those we serve, and to remove outdated terms. It is continuous work, and we seek input from affected groups to help us stay current with preferred, appropriate and inclusive language.

Input

We also value the individual experiences of our employees, by seeking ongoing input and regular advice from our Indigenous Employees Advisory Committee and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Training and development

NB RCMP employees take a variety of mandatory courses fostering awareness of the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQIA2S+, and persons with diverse abilities. There are also required courses on gender, bias awareness, cultural awareness and humility, mental health, and crisis intervention and de-escalation.

The Kairos blanket exercise was developed with Indigenous Elders and helps participants gain a better understanding and appreciation of Indigenous perspectives, experiences and resilience. It is offered to NB RCMP employees at all levels.

Did you know?

• NB RCMP provides policing services to 14 of 15 First Nations in NB
• 6.3% Indigenous employees
• 6 Community Program Officers for Indigenous Communities
• Eagle Feather – the NB RCMP offers the option of holding an Eagle Feather when providing statements, swearing an oath or affirmation, or being interviewed by a police officer.

What's more:

• 37% female employees
• 4.2% racial diversity employees
• 1.7% employees with diverse abilities

Official languages

• 91% employees are bilingual
• The NB RCMP has implemented the Official Languages Strategic Action Plan to increase the number of bilingual employees and the quality of their language skills.
• Our employees also speak 26 other languages, including various Indigenous languages, Farsi, Japanese, Estonian, Gaelic and more.

*As per 2020 employee survey

Cannabis is a legalized substance in Canada, and must be used responsibly.

Legal

• Cannabis products purchased from Cannabis NB
• Four marijuana plants or fewer per household
• 30 grams of dried cannabis (or the equivalent in other forms)

Cannabis NB is the only legal retailer for cannabis products in New Brunswick.

Illegal

• Cannabis purchase, possession or use by people under 19 years of age
• Driving while under the influence of cannabis
• Smoking in a public place, including in a vehicle

Consequences for not following the laws pertaining to cannabis can vary from $172.50 to jail time.

Stay safe!

• Educate yourself before consuming, including the strength of the product
• Plan responsibly for the duration of effects
• Ensure your cannabis products are always secured, and out of reach of children and animals
• Never drive when high!

Cannabis edibles can look very similar to candy or treats to small children. Always keep cannabis products secured and away from minors!

How do police determine if someone is driving while impaired by cannabis?

• Police will administer the Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST) to suspected impaired drivers
• Further testing may be conducted to confirm the individual is impaired by cannabis.
• Testing is available to show if the THC is active (if the individual is impaired) vs. consumption days or weeks prior (if the individual is not impaired)