RCMP boss: carbine rollout ‘reasonable’

MONCTON, N.B. • RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson testified Thursday that arming Mounties with highpowered carbine rifles raised concerns for him over the possible militarization of the force and needed to be done carefully.

On the stand at the force’s Labour Code trial in Moncton, N.B., Paulson said he worried the weapons could create tension between the public and officers.

While members needed to be properly equipped, the C8 carbine had to be rolled out responsibly, he said.

“It’s a delicate balancing act,” he said. “We have seen situations in the U.S. and some in Canada where this can distance the public from the police.”

The national force faces four charges stemming from Justin Bourque’s 2014 shooting rampage that left three officers dead and two injured in Moncton. The RCMP is accused of failing to provide the appropriate equipment and training in an active-shooter event.

The C8 carbine rifles — a version of an assault rifle similar to an M16 — were not available to general duty officers during Bourque’s shooting spree on June 4, 2014, and numerous witnesses have testified they could have made a difference.

Constables Fabrice Gevaudan, Dave Ross and Doug Larche were killed, while constables Eric Dubois and Darlene Goguen were wounded when Bourque targeted police officers in hopes of sparking an antigovernment rebellion.

Among those watching Paulson’s testimony was one of the fallen officers’ wives, Nadine Larche, and Terry McKee of the Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada.

Paulson testified he was involved in initial discussions about the introduction of the C8 carbine, which the RCMP approved in September 2011.

He said it was not acceptable that officers were killed that June evening, but the carbine rollout was unfolding.

“The manner in which carbines were being rolled out was reasonable,” Paulson said, who added there was no way to foresee an active outdoor shooter event.

“What happened that day to those officers was terrible. It was an unbelievable event,” Paulson said.

He was asked by the defence if trainers should have foreseen it and trained officers for it. Paulson said no, but added elements of the training were being done.

He said the RCMP needs to demonstrate the ability to use force, but it is not central to its presence.

“We have tanks, drones and machine guns, but are we going to a shoplifter with a carbine?” he said.

He said it doesn’t make sense to always be trying to match the weapons used by criminals, and it makes sense to focus on prevention.

“It’s a completely devastating set of facts our officers were asked to respond to,” Paulson said. “They responded heroically and without fail.”

In testifying at the Labour Code trial in May, MacNeil noted the initial response to reports of a camouflagewearing man wielding firearms in Moncton’s north end was appropriate, with members setting up a perimeter.

But operations then started to break down, he said.

He said there was no “lethal force overwatch” during the first encounter with Bourque, meaning no one was in a position to take him down when he turned his weapon on police. MacNeil also said there was a lack of communication.

MacNeil’s 2015 report made 64 recommendations and concluded carbines could have made a difference in the incident.

The Labour Code trial will resume July 4 for final arguments.