Improving border security

The Government of Canada (GC) is committed to protecting those who protect our border. In Budget 2006, the GC provided $101 million over two years to begin the process of arming CBSA officers and eliminating work-alone situations.

When this initiative is fully implemented, a total of 4,800 officers will be armed.

• This number includes all border services officers who work at land and marine ports of entry, as well as officers who perform enforcement functions within Canada.
• It also includes the 400 new permanent officers who will be hired, trained and equipped in order to eliminate work-alone situations.

Arming CBSA officers

The arming of CBSA officers will not change their authorities, mandate, duties or responsibilities. Their role with regard to facilitating the smooth flow of legitimate trade and travel across our border while keeping Canada’s border secure will remain unchanged.

Once armed, CBSA officers will be better prepared and trained to deal with a broader range of options when handling potentially dangerous situations, thereby increasing border security and their own safety.

Ensuring the safety of CBSA officers and the travelling public

The CBSA is putting in place a number of measures to ensure the safety of CBSA officers, the travelling public and border communities. Chief among these are the following:

• A rigorous screening process to ensure that CBSA officers are emotionally and psychologically suited to handle a firearm safely and responsibly.
• A comprehensive firearms training program, which includes the proper use and storage of a duty firearm and the handling of dangerous situations.
• An ongoing proficiency requirement in the use of firearms, including mandatory annual recertification.
• Incident reporting and investigation procedures.

At no time will the CBSA ask officers to place themselves, other officers or members of the public in undue danger. Armed officers will continue to assess situations using their extensive skills, training, tools and good judgement. They will only resort to using their duty firearm when their lives or the lives of other persons are in imminent danger and all other reasonable alternatives have proven unsuccessful or unsafe.

Implementation strategy

Moving from an unarmed to an armed workforce is a major undertaking. A strong firearms training program and human resources (HR) policies must be in place before the first armed officers are deployed.

Recognizing that all this takes time, the CBSA has adopted a phased-in strategy to arm its officers. While the CBSA is looking at ways to move the process along faster, it is committed to ensuring that this initiative is implemented properly, safely, efficiently and without undue delay.

The first phase of the implementation plan was developed in consideration of the GC’s direction to focus early implementation on large-volume ports of entry and on the overall level of risk.

First phase

The first group of armed officers will be deployed at large-volume land border crossings and some small and medium-sized ports of entry. As well, inland officers will be trained during the first phase.

Rigorous officer screening process

To ensure that CBSA officers are emotionally and psychologically suited to carry a firearm safely and responsibly, the CBSA is developing a thorough screening process. Officers will need to pass this testing as a prerequisite to taking the firearms training program.

The CBSA recognizes that not every officer will qualify to carry a duty firearm. It is committed to making every effort to accommodate those officers and is currently consulting with union officials on finalizing its accommodation strategy.

Comprehensive firearms training program

With the assistance of the RCMP, the CBSA is developing a comprehensive training program that is tailored to the needs and realities of its officers.

The three-week program will have several key components:

• The safe use, storage and transportation of a duty firearm.
• The handling of dangerous situations, based on simulations from real-life situations faced by officers working at the border as well as those doing inland enforcement activities.
• The new and revised CBSA policies and procedures.

While working closely with RCMP experts during the initial phase, the CBSA will ultimately manage and deliver its own training program. CBSA trainers, who will be responsible for delivering the program, are currently being trained under the supervision of expert RCMP officers. Only those trainers who have met the RCMP’s stringent standards will qualify to train other CBSA officers, beginning in July 2007.

Training facilities

Future CBSA officers will be trained in the use of firearms at the CBSA’s Learning Centre in Rigaud, Quebec. However, the facility needs to be renovated to accommodate the increased number of officers on training and to meet the requirements of firearms training.

In the interim, the CBSA will use RCMP facilities in Ottawa and Chilliwack, B.C., to train existing employees. The first group of officers will begin training in July 2007. Up to 100 armed officers will be in the field by August 2007. By March 2008, between 250 and 300 officers will be fully trained and carrying firearms. Firearms training will be offered to new recruits once renovations are completed in Rigaud.

The CBSA will be soliciting, via the Public Works and Government Services Canada’s (PWGSC) MERX Web site, expressions of interest from the private or public sector to provide training facilities from January 2008 to January 2009.

Annual recertification

Armed officers will have to be recertified in the use of firearms every year. The CBSA is currently looking at setting up its recertification program at various facilities located across the country.

Policies related to arming

The CBSA is currently developing and updating a series of policies related to arming its officers. Some operational policies currently under discussion include the following:

• Policy on the Use of Force
• Policy on the Handling of Agency and Protected Firearms
• Policy on the Wearing of Protective and Defensive Equipment, Including Duty Firearms
• Policy on the Possession, Transportation and Storage of Agency Firearms, Ammunition and Controlled Items
• Policy on Use-of-Force Incident Reporting and Investigation

Key HR products measures being developed or revised include the following:

• A duty to accommodate strategy to help ensure every reasonable effort is made to accommodate employees who are unable to undertake or meet the requirements and prerequisites.
• Psychological and behavioural testing to be used when screening officers to determine if they are suitable to take the firearms training.
• Policies on employee support and health and safety.

In developing these policies, the CBSA has consulted widely with many stakeholders, including employees, union officials, the regions, other government departments and law enforcement agencies. Once these policies are finalized, CBSA officers will be fully briefed on HR policies and trained on the new or revised operational policies.

Selection of a duty firearm

Whether they are working at a land border crossing or a marine port of entry or investigating cross-border smuggling, CBSA officers have unique jobs and face unique circumstances. Following a rigorous, open and transparent process led by the PWGSC, the CBSA selected the Beretta Px4 9mm as its duty firearm. The firearm performed well during extensive testing. It also surpassed the CBSA’s requirements and specifications, including the need to be lightweight, reliable, safe and easy-to-use in a variety of work environments. Beretta has been providing firearms to law enforcement agencies and military organizations around the world for almost 500 years.

Additional Information

• News Release (2007-07-27)
• News Release (2006-08-31)
• About the CBSA