DPR 2004-2005
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

SECTION IV – OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

Major Projects

Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) Renewal

The Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) is an integrated, automated system which provides tactical information on crimes and criminals. In Canada, CPIC can be reached through approximately 2,500 access points – approximately 1,285 different police departments, federal and provincial agencies, and 1,180 RCMP detachments and specialized units. From coast to coast, CPIC provides shared computer access to more than 60,000 law enforcement officers, and enables information sharing with our US law enforcement partners through the Automated Canadian/US Police Information Exchange System (ACUPIES) interface.

CPIC Renewal (Budget 2001, $130.1M) is designed to ensure the long-term viability of the CPIC system through the replacement of aging technology. Work has involved stabilizing and securing the system’s technology infrastructure, and developing new communications functionality including enhanced messaging, directory services and new application features. This essential investment in Canada’s law enforcement infrastructure has increased public confidence in the ability of law enforcement partners to protect Canadians and enhanced the integrity and sustainability of information and systems into the future.

The CPIC-Renewal Project was completed in March 2005 and all of the activities were transitioned back to the RCMP’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) Sector. Final development activities are expected to be completed in 2005 as part of ongoing evergreening activities undertaken by the CIO Sector. Full system testing with RCMP partners is expected beginning April 2006, with an anticipated full scale implementation in the Fall of 2006.

Police Reporting and Occurrence System (PROS)

The Police Reporting and Occurrence System (PROS) is the replacement solution for the RCMP’s aging occurrence and records management system. With a single point of data entry for storing and accessing complete police occurrence information, PROS will make it easier to document, manage, access and exchange information on case files. Capable of adapting to future technologies, it also meets evolving policing needs.

The PROS Solution has been deployed across several RCMP divisions since 2004; roll-out continues to progress successfully. All divisions have made this a priority activity and have provided support to new users to achieve a smooth and efficient implementation. As of June 30, 2005, 75 percent of all PROS users have been trained. 

The RCMP has deployed PROS to External Police Partner Agencies that are using the application to process and manage their occurrence data. Completion of PROS roll-out is planned for December 2005 and project close-out is scheduled for March 31, 2006.

The PROS solution is a critical component of the Integrated Justice Information (IJI) Initiative, designed to improve information sharing and system integration among criminal justice community partners. A key integrating system, PROS is a crucial building block of the Canada Public Safety Information Network (CPSIN), a national network of partners mandated to improve electronic information within the criminal justice and law enforcement communities.

The PROS project has an approved TB budget of $68M, of which $41.1M is from Public Safety and Anti-Terrorism (PSAT) funding.

National Integrated Inter-Agency Information (N-III) – Formerly the National Criminal Justice Index (NCJI) 

The RCMP is responsible for the technical solution for NCJI. Termed the National Integrated Inter-agency Information System (N-III), this solution will enable secure, electronic information sharing among police and federal public safety agencies. The N-III solution is comprised of a number of tools. 

The Integrated Query Tool (IQT) has been developed and will provide the means for federal public safety partners such as the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Firearms Centre (CAFC) to have single query access to RCMP occurrence and criminal history data for which they have authorized access.

The Police Information Portal (PIP) allows police agencies to query, publish and drill-down into police occurrence data located in the portal, directly from their records management systems. This tool allows police to securely share and access police data from different jurisdictions across the country.

An interface between the IQT and the PIP is being developed with appropriate access controls to share information electronically where appropriate.

Real Time Identification (RTID)

The Real Time Identification (RTID) Project is re-engineering systems and processes used for fingerprint identification, civil clearances and criminal records maintenance. RTID will transform the current paper-based workflow to an electronic workflow, enabling the “real time” identification of fingerprints submitted electronically.

Fingerprints are submitted by police agencies to support the creation of a criminal record or to search the criminal record repository during a criminal investigation or civil security screening. RTID will streamline these procedures, facilitate information sharing internationally, and permit an improved tracking of criminals by condensing identification turnaround times from weeks and months to hours and days. 

Funding for the RTID Project was announced on April 20, 2004, under the National Security Policy. Following the announcement, a Project Charter was developed and a formal Project Office established under the sponsorship of Information and Identification Services of National Police Services. The Chief Information Officer was appointed Project Leader, responsible for achieving the technology improvements associated with the project. The Project Director reports to the Chief Information Officer.

In December 2004, the RCMP received Preliminary Project Approval at an indicative estimate of $129.8M to complete development of RTID over five years. The source of funds was identified as follows: $99.8M from Canada’s National Security Policy and $30M from internal RCMP allocations. Effective Project Approval for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) implementation phase of RTID is expected in September 2005.

A Request for Proposal for the AFIS Vendor was issued in January 2005 and closed March 2005. A contract is expected to be awarded by the Fall of 2005. AFIS implementation is expected in Fall 2006.

Corporate Areas

Corporate Management and Comptrollership (CM&C)

In 2004/2005, the financial management of the Contract Policing Services business line was a priority. A number of key accomplishments were realized that will better position the RCMP to meet its contract policing obligations.

The overall management of Contract Policing Services is subject to strict control and maintenance: all spending is tracked; new projects are checked for feasibility and necessity; managers are accountable for unit budgets; and contract partner spending caps are respected and adhered to.
Through our financial management process, rigorous attention to revenue collection has resulted in recovering more than 99.98% of the $1.1B billed in 2004/2005.

A new MoA was recently signed by the RCMP, TBS and PSEPC that significantly improves the ability of the RCMP to account for contract policing funding by better describing and costing increases to the contracts.

The RCMP will continue to work diligently with TBS and PSEPC to ensure that it meets its contract policing obligations.

A number of initiatives are also underway to reduce the number of systems that manage assets into one integrated solution. For example, our implementation of SAP (TEAM) involves several modules that integrate financial, materiel, asset and real property information. We will also be able to bring together financial and non-financial information through several interfaces between our existing PeopleSoft-based HR and TEAM systems. Cost centre information is also being standardized across the organization – the result, financial and non-financial information can be extracted in a consistent manner for more strategic decision making.

We have also implemented the Real Estate module of SAP into our TEAM application, allowing real property to be integrated with all of our other financial and materiel information. Since we are the first department within the Government-wide, shared systems initiative to “go live” with this module, it will set the standard for information sharing best practices with all other SAP departments – seamlessly integrating information on real property assets with critical accounting and finance information.

We are progressing with the implementation of our Sustainable Development Strategy – “Communities + 2003” by focusing on three specific areas: sustainable communities; stewardship of resources; and, corporate responsibility. This strategy will enable us to communicate to stakeholders the progress made towards sustainable development, highlighting how programs and operations are positively impacting the quality of life in Canada and abroad. The environmental management program is also thriving, with the development of various initiatives such as climate change, water and wastewater, integrated pest management, contaminated sites and storage tanks. 

Internal Audit, Evaluation and Management Review/Quality Assurance 

A key element of the governance structure of the RCMP includes the provision of strategic, high quality and professional internal audit; program evaluation; and, management review (MR). Quality assurance (QA); the development/implementation of policies, standards, tools and procedures; and, annual and long-term risk-based audit/evaluation plans also serve to support Government-wide and Force priorities.

We have an effective internal audit function that provides assurance services on the soundness of risk management strategies and practices, management control frameworks, systems and practices, and information used for decision making and reporting. The findings of the Auditor General on Internal Audit indicate that our internal audit function meets the International Standards for the Practice of Internal Audit. Strong support from senior management for the audit function was noted and the results pointed to an internal audit group with extensive operational experience and professional qualifications, an effective quality assurance process, and a comprehensive training plan to ensure a “best in class” internal audit organization.

RCMP Senior Management is fully committed to building the evaluation function across the organization to provide objective and independent assessments of the effectiveness, efficiency and relevance of our programs and policies. We have also made progress towards building a strategic, independent evaluation group within Audit and Evaluation. The recently hired Director, Evaluation has developed a Business Plan and presented it to the Audit and Evaluation Committee in the summer of 2004. 

We have a professional group that is involved in ensuring that Results-Based Management Accountability Frameworks are in place and formal evaluations are planned and implemented. Our evaluation group will offer advice to program managers for the development of risk-based accountability frameworks (RMAFs) and for Treasury Board submissions for new and renewing programs. In addition, a risk-based evaluation plan was presented to the Audit and Evaluation Committee on June 29. A copy was forwarded to TBS in accordance with the policy.

To ensure responsible programs and services, in addition to our corporate internal audit and evaluation services, an effective operations-oriented review program is in place. We have updated our QA/MR program and tools to include Integrated Risk Management (IRM) principles and regional review service groups are in place to promote effective program implementation.

Strategic Policy and Planning

In establishing the strategic direction and policy priorities of the organization, the RCMP considers Government priorities, as well as those of the PSEP portfolio and the larger security and intelligence community. This includes our shared portfolio priorities – emergency management, national security, safe communities and Canada–US relations – and how we can best work with partners to deliver on our plans and priorities.

In our efforts to becoming a strategy-focused organization, we have come to recognize the importance of responding in a meaningful and effective way to the public policy process – to be able to anticipate challenges and respond in a strategic and purposeful manner, rather than a reactive one.
We are undertaking a review of our strategic policy research function to ensure the efficient use of resources (human and financial), and to design and implement a strategic research agenda that is linked to and supports our organization’s vision and priorities, as well as those of our partners.

To further enhance our policy capacity, we are undertaking several other initiatives: 

• The adoption of decentralized policy management, with policy leadership focused in key program areas
• The identified need for the development of a recruitment and retention strategy for policy personnel, as well as tools and processes to support the advancement of a policy culture within the RCMP
• Extensive training courses – for example, Leading Policy with the Canada School of Public Service – to date, over 70 senior members have enhanced their public policy competencies
• The development of a pilot program to develop leadership skills in regions – with the Atlantic Pilot as our first in late 2004

Information Management/Information Technology

Several key factors continue to impact on the IM/IT community:

• Technology’s expense – many IM/IT programs have merit – funds, however, are limited
• Evergreening – given technology’s expense, there is a need to keep systems and equipment operational for as long as possible
• Research and development – the rapid evolution of technology presents challenges for law enforcement to keep pace
• Challenges of international policing – requires partnerships and relationship building – compatibility and interoperability goals vs privacy concerns

The RCMP’s success in furthering intelligence-led and integrated policing is largely dependent on information systems and technology to facilitate the gathering and management of information, the creation of intelligence, and the cooperative and coordinated exchange between partners. Integrated operational mechanisms – like PROS and our work on the IQT – will link databases so that information can be retrieved from a number of systems.

As a key member of the federal justice community, we have important responsibilities in working to ensure that existing and planned IM/IT systems are compatible and consistent with one another – and as part of the vital support systems within the larger criminal justice system. Our goal is to optimize the use of compatible systems by the Canadian law enforcement community to ensure that information and intelligence is accessible and available to those who need it in a timely manner.

By leveraging common IM/IT investments, there are potential benefits for all partners:

• Integrated information and intelligence
• Interoperability and compatibility with existing and planned systems including common language, look and feel
• Effective and responsible resource management
• Enhanced support of the criminal justice system in sustaining a coordinated public safety effort

We have developed a standard project methodology for all IM/IT projects, which identifies the need to consider privacy principles, legislation, policies and risks at project initiation phase. New or enhanced IM/IT business solutions, programs and services that raise privacy issues must develop, conduct and update a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) – all PIA submissions are also reviewed by Access to Information (ATIP) to ensure compliance with federal requirements and the Privacy Act.

We have also initiated a Business Intelligence project to convert the data stored in our enterprise systems into usable information. The technical infrastructure is now in place; web-based business intelligence tools have been acquired to access, integrate and report information in enterprise reporting systems; and, a strategy is being developed to support the expanded use of the Business Intelligence tool.

Our contribution to Government-online (GoL) continues. We are active participants in Canada’s Public Safety Portal and in support of the international fight against terrorism. We prominently feature our national security tip-line and also contribute information to the portal that helps ensure the safety and security of Canadians.

We are committed to employing the Internet as the channel of choice wherever a service or program can most benefit Canadians through online delivery. 

We have added some commonly requested forms for use by the Canadian public to our website including Consent for Disclosure of Criminal Record Information. We will continue to monitor and analyze client needs and expectations to further enhance our GoL activities, as well as the menu of information and services we provide online.

Human Resources

Changing demographics and increasing expectations for service continue to impact on our Human Resource plans and priorities. 

To meet these challenges, our Human Resources program is currently undergoing a restructuring to ensure efficient and effective support of Operations. Several initiatives are in progress or are planned, including as examples:

• Review of all Course Training Standards and the Cadet Program at Regina
• Ongoing examination of the provision of health services to uniformed members through the Health Services Renewal Task Force
• Development of a measurement accountability framework – to ensure managerial accountability and performance management of programs
• Creation of working groups to examine our recruiting process and the development of a workforce strategy
• Development of a human resources planning framework for our IM/IT communities – to identify short- and long-term human resource issues and strategies to address identified gaps in several key HR areas; with an environmental analysis now complete, analysis of the data is in progress
• Development of an annual corporate learning plan which better aligns, plans and manages learning investments to operational priorities 
• Revision of our corporate learning policy – to better respond to individual learning opportunities and organizational needs

There were a number of Human Resource issues that were addressed in 2004/2005 in an effort to improve our Human Resource Management capabilities.

RCMP Member Pay Raise – The RCMP Pay Council has consistently recommended that the appropriate position for RCMP compensation is the average of the top three in the comparator universe on a total compensation basis. A Treasury Board (TB) Submission designed to maintain the average of the top three for 2004 was forwarded to TB Ministers for their approval. In the decision letter of December 13, 2004, TB Ministers approved a salary increase of 2.5% and a change to leave provisions.

Recruitment of Cadets – The RCMP remains committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations including our commitment to meet the recruiting needs in contract policing. To ensure our operational needs are met, recruiting must be a priority for the RCMP. To accommodate demographic predictions, we are enhancing our recruitment process to ensure it is efficient, effective and proactively attracts quality candidates, and efforts to increase Depot’s capacity from 38 to 46 troops per year are underway. To ensure we meet our recruiting targets, we have undertaken a Recruitment Program Renewal Initiative to enhance our current process to attract and retain the right number of people with diversified backgrounds and the appropriate competencies to meet the demand now and in the future. The initiative will also position the RCMP for the future by leveraging technology to create an active recruiting model that will enhance our ability to attract and retain quality candidates.

Bilingualism – The overall bilingual capacity of our personnel in bilingual positions providing service to the public improved by 6% during the past years from 81% to 87%. We have, however, had difficulties in enrolling EX-level public servants in PSC language schools. This has been further exacerbated by the very long waiting periods for acceptance. As of March 2005, 79% or 60 of the 76 EXs subject to the CBC Policy requirements had reached this level:

• 85% or 28 of 33 Officers (RMs) meet language requirements
• 83% or 15 of the 18 civilian members meet language requirements
• 68% or 17 of 25 public servants meet language requirements 

Harassment – In 2004/2005, the organization received 28 harassment complaints from Public Service employees compared to 38 the previous year. This decrease reflects the RCMP’s ongoing commitment for prevention by mandating that all employees attend harassment awareness training. 

A new harassment policy covering all RCMP employees was implemented effective January 31, 2005. This new policy has streamlined the process, raised the accountability of the decision maker and broadened the application of the policy. It also places greater emphasis on the prevention, early intervention and quick resolution of harassment situations.

Embracing Change – The RCMP fully supports the Embracing Change benchmarks and is working diligently to improve its statistics. Experience and seniority are unavoidably factors in promotion to the Officer (Insp+) and the Executive (C/Supt+) ranks. While 34% of all Regular Members have 20+ years service, only 15.2% of Aboriginal members and 6.6% of Visible Minorities have 20+ years of service. When we compare our junior members who are Aboriginal and Visible Minority, they are achieving promotions in the ranks at the same rate as the majority group. 

Employment Equity – The RCMP is actively working towards meeting its obligations under the Employment Equity Act. An Employment Equity Senior Management Steering Committee directs the efforts of the Employment Equity Program. All executives in the RCMP have HR management as their number one ongoing commitment in their performance agreements. Employment Equity is a key component of HR management. There are now preparations being made to enter Phase III of the Employment Equity Implementation Project, which will be the Employment Systems Review (ESR). The ESR requires in-depth assessment of all formal and informal employment systems, policies and practices and also includes attitudes and behaviours. There will be further steps to the Employment Equity Plan, which will outline measures to be implemented to ensure proper representation of designated employee groups.

The Investigator's Toolbox – The first of its kind in the law enforcement community, the Investigator's Toolbox, a knowledge management tool, was developed with the frontline in mind. Designed to look like an actual toolbox, the application opens to offer a “tray” full of core investigative skills, organized according to various “decision points” in criminal investigations, providing police officers with quick job aids and learning objects to assist them in their daily duties. Each area offers quick access to job aids/checklists, policy, case law, references and various e-learning and e-working resources.

A similar toolbox concept is now under development for planning and performance management to support the roll-out of performance management to the detachment level. We are also developing a Corporate Guidelines toolbox to enable members/employees in the field to follow a consistent and standard protocol that is reflective of our values and ethics. A Conflict of Interest policy related to secondary employment and the reporting of assets for our members is also under development. In addition to the Conflict of Interest policy, communication and training strategies are also under development and are scheduled for completion in early 2005. 

Strategic Planning and Performance Management in the RCMP

Our Strategic Planning Cycle

Strategic planning is absolutely imperative to a well-functioning organization. It guides decision making, facilitates effective use of resources and provides us with critical feedback. Our planning cycle is based on a continuous integrated approach and is augmented by strategic activities meant to enhance and support informed decision making. 

Our planning cycle is highlighted by three significant periods of review.

First review (late spring):

• Focus on trends and issues identified in the environmental scan and from field input 
• Identification of national and international trends that may impact on our operations
• Supplemented with knowledge gained from use of annual core surveys, designed to measure perceptions and satisfaction levels of Canadian citizens, policing partners, clients, stakeholders and employees on our plans, priorities, programs and services

The outcome of this review either confirms or refocuses our priorities to better reflect the needs of Canadians within a three- to five-year horizon.

Two key documents also result from this review. With the issuing of the Commissioner’s Directional Statement, all levels of the RCMP can begin to focus on their respective responsibilities to Canadians and what plans could enhance the delivery of our services. 

This is followed by an Operational Strategic Outlook, which is communicated to business and service lines to support them in the development of mandatory requirements and considerations for frontline service providers. At the same time, regions and divisions also offer forward-looking documents to each of their respective clients, partners and stakeholders.

Second review (fall): 

• Mid-year check on progress against strategic priorities, commitments and objectives
• Adjustments as required to ensure continued results and value to Canadians
• Business line directions and priority activities determined for coming fiscal year
• Initiation of business planning process in Operations 

Once complete, corporate-level business plans are then developed – the lag to ensure these plans reflect the priorities and needs of Operations.

Third review (late winter): 

• Business line and corporate plans reviewed in order to determine appropriateness of support for operational priorities
• Financial support for strategic objectives determined

While all of these periods of review have a specific focus, they also offer opportunities for ongoing review (look back) and forecasting (look ahead) – critical to determining if we are on the right track – or if adjustments are required. In order to support more immediate requirements for informed decision making, a bi-monthly performance reporting cycle is also in place, allowing for the continuous tracking of initiatives and expected outcomes.

National Business Plans

A Senior Management Steering Committee has been established at National Headquarters to provide the necessary leadership and direction to ensure robust business planning in the RCMP. 

Divisional Business Plans 

As is the case with their Headquarters counterparts, business plans at the division level are required. Not only do they reflect a clear understanding of our national strategic priorities and the “fit” with their activities, there is a comprehensive understanding of local issues and priorities.

Environmental Scanning

Each year we undertake an Environmental Scan to review the macro-level trends, both international and domestic, that are shaping our environment. Our efforts are focused on seven key dimensions – demographics, society, economy, politics and governance, science and technology, environment and public safety and security – highlighting new trends and updating previously reported issues.

The 2004 Environmental Scan can be accessed at the following address:

www.rcmp.ca/enviro/2004/index_e.htm

Core Surveys

Surveys are conducted on an annual basis in an effort to capture baseline opinion data regarding our performance. Questions predominantly focus on general satisfaction areas, for example: our role in safe homes and safe communities; quality of service; professionalism; sensitivity; community involvement; visibility; value of partnerships; and, communication. Populations canvassed include: clients/citizens of Canada; clients of Contract Policing; policing partners; employees; and stakeholders. 

The following surveys were issued in the spring of 2004:

• Canadians’ views of RCMP policing services – including Canadians from every province
• Clients of Contract Policing – including all Attorneys General, Mayors, Chiefs of provinces/communities policed by the RCMP
• Policing partners (Canadian) – including Chiefs of all Canadian police forces
• Policing partners (International) – including Chiefs of police forces partnering with us abroad
• Stakeholders – including “non-police” organizations that are impacted by our work, and/or, have a working relationship with us [i.e., ADM/ADM-equivalent of federal departments and agencies, as well as regional representatives of government organizations at the federal, provincial and territorial levels and non-government organizations (NGOs)]

The survey results are delivered to planners for use as reference material in the development of plans and priorities.

Taken together, some common messages emerge from the various core survey results. The RCMP’s contribution to ensuring the safety of our homes, communities and country is perceived as important. Our organization is viewed as professional, with integrity and honesty valued. However, communication regarding the nature of and rationale behind our activities is an area for improvement.

For more information on our surveys, please go to: www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/surveys/index-main_e.htm

Consultation and Engagement

Consistent with Government priorities to ensure the broader engagement of partners in plans and priorities, we are pursuing a national consultation and engagement strategy. This will not only ensure the interests and needs of our partners are appropriately reflected in our plans and priorities, it will support our collective efforts in considering the benefits to be realized in shared service delivery. 

As our consultation and engagement strategy evolves, this practice will become one of our business maxims. 

Improvements to our Strategic Planning Process 

In our efforts to modernize business practices, and also to enhance our accounting of planning and performance, we have implemented a number of initiatives. These include:

• Identification of mandatory and critical measures deemed critical to our success in delivering on our strategic priorities 
• Development of a standardized business plan template which all operational and business areas now complete as part of the planning process
• Implementation of standardized reporting templates and a defined reporting cycle which coincide with key planning milestones and financial deliverables
• Restructuring of senior performance management agreements to be more results-oriented, detailing specific expectations for performance
• Formation of horizontal Strategic Priority Working Groups, tasked with furthering the goals and objectives of our strategic priorities
• Conducting ongoing surveys to better gauge perceptions of various stakeholder groups in an effort to identify performance gaps

Although this work is ongoing, we are now better positioned to determine whether we are achieving our desired results. 

In looking at past performance and considering opportunities for improvement, we are making the requisite adjustments so that we can more closely focus on areas of higher priority – or those in need of greater attention. 

Our Performance Management System

The Balanced Scorecard was adopted by the RCMP as its tool for furthering strategy-focused, performance-managed business planning. It allows us to manage and measure our performance against our strategy priorities and objectives. In addition, it facilitates proactive planning, which is essential for clarifying objectives and actions and for identifying areas where resources could be used more efficiently to improve the delivery of RCMP programs and services. 

Consistent with several other performance management processes, the Balanced Scorecard shares many commonalities with other key Government plans and priorities including Results for Canadians, Modern Comptrollership and the Service Improvement Initiative, as examples.
In essence, the Balanced Scorecard guides us in gauging critical intangibles such as people, data and environment and assists all levels of management in identifying what key factors will enable business “success” or goal achievement. It also gives us the ability to tell the RCMP story by demonstrating “what we do and why” and to gain recognition for the critical role we play in providing safe homes and safe communities for all Canadians. 

There are several other potential benefits: determination of managerial accountability in achieving performance results; communication of strategic priorities across an organization; clarity and transparency around the allocation of resources; and, consistent reporting on results. With the alignment of operations and objectives, this ensures resources deliver value and are used in the best possible way.

Our strategic goal is safe homes and safe communities, consistent with broader public safety and security objectives. To demonstrate how the Balanced Scorecard is used within our organization the strategy map below graphically portrays our “road map” to safe homes and safe communities. 

Over the past two years, performance reporting to our Senior Executive Committee (SEC) has followed a rigorous and demanding schedule so that a culture of performance management could be quickly instilled into our organization. The use of the Balanced Scorecard is now firmly entrenched as an integral part of our daily business practices and is a contributing factor towards the advancement of our strategic priorities. 

For more information on the Balanced Scorecard, please go to: www.bscol.com  

For more information on performance management in the RCMP, please see: www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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