A committee of civilian advisers being set up to strengthen oversight of RCMP management could play a vital role in changing the culture of the force and getting more women to join it, a St. Thomas University criminology professor says.

The federal government announced this week it will appoint an external board of civilian advisers to improve oversight and how the force handles harassment and bullying.

The interim 13-member civilian watchdog will be provide recommendations on best ways to manage and modernize the force but won't be involved in police operations.

Michael Boudreau, a criminology professor in Fredericton, welcomed the step, although he is concerned the civilians will be former Mounties.

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"Depending on who those former Mounties are that would be a step backwards," said Boudreau.

But he hopes the government will choose committee members who have been advocates for women in the RCMP and maybe even a "whistle blower" attuned to what's been happening in the force.

The changes are long overdue and he's "cautiously optimistic" the oversight committee will bring cultural change to the RCMP.

More women need to join the force 

 

Right now, he said, women are reluctant to join because of toxic work environments in some detachments.

"If this committee can demonstrate to women that indeed they can make some structural changes over time within the force, maybe then more women may start to enter the force," he said.

Over the years, he said, RCMP have been reluctant to welcome any type of civilian oversight.

"There's this notion that we can police ourselves, literally, that we know what's best, we are professionals, and indeed they are, but we don't need anyone from the outside telling us how to run our business."

Issues dealt with 'in house' 

This creates a form of "insularity" or tunnel vision, as police deny there are problems. And if there are, they can be dealt with in-house.

"We don't need anyone else telling us how to deal with complaints, sexual harassment or bullying," he said.

"It's just something that we accept, but we can deal with ourselves, or indeed dismiss as well, because of course without any civilian oversight, it makes it very easy to dismiss a claim of harassment or bullying in the workplace."

It comes down to a cultural change. So how effective this panel is going to be at helping to chart that cultural change.- Michael Boudreau, criminology professor

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has said the interim board will be appointed before April 1 and plans to introduce legislation in the spring to make it a fixture.

Many of the details, including how the board's recommendations will be communicated and how transparent it will be, have yet to be figured out.

Boudreau said there's still a lot of work to be done to improve the RCMP workplace, which could take years, or even a generation.

"It comes down to a cultural change," he said.