Royal Canadian Mounted Police Protective Policing
The Protective Policing Service[1] (French: Services de police de protection[2]), operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provides security details for domestic and foreign VIPs when abroad.
History
In October 2022, concerns were raised that the RCMP has not recruited enough officers to provide close protection work, undermining RCMP's capabilities to protect VIPs.[3]
Under a 2022-23 Departmental Plan, the RCMP PPS will move to a centralized model to provide enhanced oversight/compliance.[4]
In May 2023, the RCMP is given more funding to establish more close protection units for politicians, depending on risk assessment.[5]
Organisation
PPS operations consist of RCMP officers, assisted by civilian and public servants who specialise in intelligence analysis, geospatial analysis and technological expertise.[1]
A number of RCMP close protection units include the Governor General Protective Detail, the Prime Minister Protective Detail and the Divisional Protective Services.[6]
Duties
RCMP officers in PPS operations are responsible for protecting the following VIPs:[7]
- Royal Family (when in Canada)
- Canadian Governor General
- Prime Minister.[5]
- Members of Parliament and Senators
- Foreign diplomats in Canada,
- Supreme, Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal justices
- Other persons designated by Minister of Public Safety as protected persons.
Training
Prospective RCMP officers are placed under the National Close Protection Officer Course as of March 2022.[6]
Provincial counterparts
Many provinces have a similar organization that is responsible for the protection of the provincial Lieutenant-Governor, the Premier, other members of the provincial cabinet, and members of the judiciary.
- Alberta: Alberta Sheriffs Branch
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
- Ontario: Ontario Provincial Police
- Quebec: Sûreté du Québec
- Quebec also have protection for ministers, opposition leaders and other high level officials by the DPP (Direction de la Protection des Personalités) which is a division of the MSP (Ministère de la Sécurité Publique du Québec)
See also
References
- ^ a b "Protective Policing". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
- ^ "Services de police de protection". Gendarmerie royale du Canada (in French). Retrieved 2026-05-25.
- ^ "RCMP running short of officers to protect cabinet ministers from a growing number of threats". CBC News. 2022-10-27. Archived from the original on 2023-01-29.
- ^ "Information archivée dans le Web" (PDF).
- ^ a b Leblanc, Daniel (31 May 2023). "New RCMP units to protect ministers, top bureaucrats from threats of political violence". CBC News. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ^ a b Government of Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. "RCMP revamps close-protection training | Royal Canadian Mounted Police". www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
- ^ "PUBLIC ORDER EMERGENCY COMMISSION INSTITUTIONAL REPORT – ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE" (PDF). Retrieved 25 May 2026.