The RCMP & Defunding the Police w/ Jennifer Strachan

Small Conversations for a Better World Podcast

Last year on the podcast, we learned that health and security are a lot more closely linked than we ever imagined. The Covid19 pandemic amplified that fact exponentially. We realized that we had some big questions about systemic racism, misogyny and intolerance in Canadian policing. We also wanted a better understanding what it might actually mean to defund the police.

We reached out to BC RCMP Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan for her take on things, and for a Canadian, and an historical context. In the aftermath of the Bastarache Report, Jennifer brought us her perspectives on where the RCMP has been, where the organization is now, and where it's headed. Join us for this wide-ranging conversation that explores everything from RCMP training, to police handling of culturally sensitive issues, to intolerance within the force, and what's being done to make things better.
For PDF copies of the Rainbow Project Initiative and the RCMP Guide to Supporting Transgender, Non-Binary and Two-Spirit Employees, mentioned in this episode, email us at [e-mail] and we'll send you the PDFs.
About Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan
With 32 years in policing, D/Commr. Jennifer Strachan spent 14 of those in a broad range of front-line policing roles in British Columbia. She has also worked in administrative duties at the Provincial and National level, in addition to completing a Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti in 1996. She also served as the desk officer responsible for peacekeeping deployments to the Former Yugoslavia.

Her frontline policing experience started with her first posting in Whistler, BC and then Westshore Detachment. She was commissioned in 2002 to the role of Executive Officer to the Deputy Commissioner of Corporate Management & Comptrollership and since then some of her postings have included: Officer in Charge of the National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre; Detective Inspector in Charge of Montreal Drug Section; and, Officer in Charge of Operational Policy and Programs in Contract & Indigenous Policing at National Headquarters. She served as a District Commander, Criminal Operations Officer, and as the Commanding Officer in "O" Division, Ontario, and the Deputy Commissioner responsible for Specialized Policing Services.

D/Commr. Strachan holds an Undergraduate degree from the University of Ottawa as well as a Master's degree from Royal Roads University. She is a graduate of the Canadian Police College Executive Development in Policing program and is an Alumni of the Leadership in Counter Terrorism Association. With a passion for supporting others in realizing their career goals, D/Commr. Strachan is a proud recipient of the 2014 Ontario Women in Law Enforcement - Mentor of the Year award as well as the 2014 International Association of Women Police - Mentor of the Year award. In 2016, she was invested as an Officer of the Order of Merit for Police Forces (O.O.M) by the Governor General of Canada.

She manages competing demands between work and home, thanks to the unwavering support and commitment of her husband and son.
BC RCMP (English)
GRC en CB (Français)
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