International Peace Operations Branch

Overview

For more than 20 years, Canada has deployed police officers to international peace missions around the world. They assist in rebuilding and strengthening police services in countries that have experienced conflict or upheaval. By building the capacity of foreign police to maintain law and order, Canadian police, in cooperation with international partners, help create a safer and more stable environment.

This in turn paves the way for long-term development and can also prevent illicit activities from spilling across borders into other countries, including Canada.

How It Works

Foreign requests for Canadian police assistance come from organizations such as the United Nations or from specific countries. The decision to deploy Canadian police is made within the framework of the Canadian Police Arrangement (CPA), a partnership between the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian International Development Agency, Public Safety Canada and the RCMP.

Revised in 2006, the CPA is designed to help Canada respond to increased demands for Canadian police participation in international missions without affecting policing at home.

The RCMP manages the deployment of Canadian police, including planning and evaluating missions, selecting and training personnel from across the country and providing support throughout deployment.

Canadian police who serve abroad come from municipal, provincial and regional police forces as well as the RCMP, and represent a variety of backgrounds. They play widely varying roles within each mission, from patrolling streets and training police recruits to providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring security for elections and investigating human rights violations.

Serving on a mission can help police officers improve their leadership and problem-solving skills as well as their ability to interact effectively with people from various cultures. In the end, this also benefits their police agency and the communities they serve.

For more information:

Phone: 613-993-4915
Email: peacekeeping@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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