Horizontal Initiatives

Name of Horizontal Initiative: Investments to Combat the Criminal Use of Firearms (ICCUF)

Name of Lead Department: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Lead Department Program Activity: Canadian Firearms Program

Start Date: May 2004

End Date: Ongoing

Total Federal Funding Allocation (from start date to end date): Originally $49.9 million over five years; now ongoing (see Total Allocations).

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement):

The overall aim of the ICCUF is to improve the national collection, analysis and sharing of firearms-related intelligence and information. Funding is distributed within the RCMP to the Canadian Firearms Program (CFP), Criminal Intelligence and Criminal Intelligence Service Canada. The initiative also provides funds to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Public Safety Canada.

The ICCUF directly supports the Government of Canada’s objective to tackle violent crime (especially firearms-related offences in relation to organized crime and street gangs), as outlined in the 2008 Speech from the Throne.

Shared Outcomes: Enhance the RCMP and CBSA’s capacity to gather, analyze and share information in order to improve individual investigations, and to increase knowledge of the extent and patterns of smuggling and trafficking of firearms used in crime. This supports the development of an intelligence-led national enforcement strategy.

Governance Structures: A National Joint Management Team (NJMT) coordinates ICCUF efforts at the national headquarters levels. ICCUF partners in the regions are encouraged to actively participate in regional JMT meetings or similar arrangements. Operational issues stemming from regional/local matters are raised to the NJMT when resolution at a national level is requested.

Performance Highlights:

Canadians continue to be threatened by the criminal use of firearms, many of which are smuggled into the country or otherwise illegally obtained. Analysis of trafficking patterns is improving as more information is collected from the field.

The CFP and its ICCUF partners will contribute to the investigation and prevention of firearms-related crimes by providing high quality technical and investigative services and expertise. There will be a focus on analysis and sharing of firearms-related intelligence and sharing of information on smuggling and trafficking patterns.

Public Safety Canada

Law Enforcement and Policing Branch

Names of Programs funded under the Horizontal Initiative	Total Allocation (from Start to End Date) ($millions)	Planned Spending 2013-14 ($millions)	Expected Results 2013-14 ($millions)
ICCUF	Ongoing	$0.275	Provide policy advice to the Minister of Public Safety on firearms and gun crime, and support research on such areas as the extent and patterns of the illegal movement of firearms, and the relationship between guns, street gangs, youth and organized crime.

Royal Canadan Mounted Police

Canadian Firearms Program

Names of Programs funded under the Horizontal Initiative	Total Allocation (from Start to End Date) ($millions)	Planned Spending 2013-14 ($millions)	Expected Results 2013-14 ($millions)
ICCUF	Ongoing	$7.094	Provide enhanced and collaborative criminal firearms information and intelligence, bridge national firearm policy and operational gaps with partners, and meet present and future intelligence challenges. Reduce the impact of serious firearms-related crime. Provide specialized assistance to law enforcement agencies, leading to successful prosecutions of individuals involved in the illegal movement and criminal use of firearms.

Criminal Intelligence Program

Names of Programs funded under the Horizontal Initiative	Total Allocation (from Start to End Date) ($millions)	Planned Spending 2013-14 ($millions)	Expected Results 2013-14 ($millions)
ICCUF	Ongoing	$1.184	Provide enhanced and collaborative criminal firearms information and intelligence, bridge national firearm policy and operational gaps with partners, and meet present and future intelligence challenges. Reduce the impact of serious firearms-related crime. Provide specialized assistance to law enforcement agencies, leading to successful prosecutions of individuals involved in the illegal movement and criminal use of firearms.

Integrated Forensic Identification Services

Names of Programs funded under the Horizontal Initiative	Total Allocation (from Start to End Date) ($millions)	Planned Spending 2013-14 ($millions)	Expected Results 2013-14 ($millions)
ICCUF	Ongoing	$0.678	Provide enhanced and collaborative criminal firearms information and intelligence, bridge national firearm policy and operational gaps with partners, and meet present and future intelligence challenges. Reduce the impact of serious firearms-related crime. Provide specialized assistance to law enforcement agencies, leading to successful prosecutions of individuals involved in the illegal movement and criminal use of firearms.

Canadian Border Services Agency

Intelligence and Targeting Operations Directorate

Names of Programs funded under the Horizontal Initiative	Total Allocation (from Start to End Date) ($millions)	Planned Spending 2013-14 ($millions)	Expected Results 2013-14 ($millions)
ICCUF	Ongoing	$1.33	Valuable criminal intelligence products produced in support of firearms crime investigations. Provision of support to a strong ongoing network of Regional Intelligence Firearms Liaison Officers. Sharing of information and intelligence amongst police and law enforcement partners concerning the smuggling and trafficking of firearms, and the provision of a border nexus to combat activities, which are often associated with organized crime.

 

Total Allocation For All Federal Partners (from Start to End Date)	Total Planned Spending for All Federal Partners for 2013-14
Ongoing	$10.561

Results to be achieved by non-federal partners: N/A

Contact information:
Supt. Sylvain Berthiaume
Director, Firearms Investigative and Enforcement Services Directorate
RCMP Canadian Firearms Program
73 Leikin Drive, Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0R2
Email: Sylvain.Berthiaume@rcmp-grc.gc.ca