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RCMP: Three female investigators deploy to Cambodia to support Khmer Rouge investigations - Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Source: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/po-mp/civpol/2015/03/cambodia-cambodge-eng.htm?fb

Three female investigators deploy to Cambodia to support Khmer Rouge investigations

As we mark International Women’s Day on March 8, we share with you the story of three Canadian police officers who recently embarked on a unique, one-year deployment to Cambodia to assist with investigations into crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide committed between 1975 and 1979 during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Ottawa Police Staff Sergeant Isobel Granger, RCMP Corporal Bailey Gilarowski (Ottawa) and Vancouver Police Detective Constable Ana Jean Benefield arrived in Phnom Penh in mid- January to work under the auspices of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), a joint Cambodian-United Nations organization.

Granger in front of ECCC HQ in Phnom Penh.

The three were selected for this deployment from Justice Rapid Response, an international roster of 450 criminal justice and related professionals with a broad range of expertise. This is their first deployment abroad, although Granger has done extensive international work and training.

“Coming away from a strategy team meeting this morning, it did not escape my attention that our team members are from five different countries, and four different disciplines,” says Granger of a meeting in late February. “We each have a significant contribution to make over the next twelve months, so we have to maximize what we bring to the table as a diverse team.”

The Canadians are assigned to one of two cases still under investigation. In 2014, the investigative scope of these two cases was expanded to incorporate sexual and gender-based crimes, including forced marriage.

The police officers’ investigative experience and training in major crime as well as in sexual and gender-based violence – including Granger’s recent role as head of the Ottawa Police’s Partner Assault Unit – will make them a valuable asset to the ECCC.

Early days in the field

The investigators spent their first two months in training with the ECCC. Benefield and Gilarowski were sent out to the field first, spending 12 days shadowing the ECCC’s top-notch investigators as they interviewed witnesses in remote jungle locations.

“I'm acutely aware of the fact that it takes courage for these witnesses to tell complete strangers their stories, true stories of suffering, and to relive what happened to them,” explains Gilarowski. “Their stories will not only become part of the court record, but also a part of Cambodia's historical record.”

Gilarowski out in the field.

“The people we met were witnesses to or victims of unspeakable violence. Yet they were not broken or hardened or even full of hatred. They were remarkably resilient, strong and happy people,” reveals Benefield. “The mere fact that you still see structures where such violence and tragedy took place makes you take a deep breath and be thankful to reflect on how fortunate we are.”

Spending time in the field has helped them with their learning curve, while also yielding some great adventures.

“We were stuck in a village overnight because of a torrential rainstorm,” says Gilarowski. “The entire village came out to play boules with our interpreter and team. We set up my laptop outside on a table and played the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Soon every child in the village was watching the movie. It was an amazing experience.”

They have also had ant swarms and frogs in their bathroom, ants in their beds, and lots of mud between their toes.

“All you can do is laugh and enjoy it. It's almost surreal at times,” says Gilarowski.

Staying in touch

While acclimatizing to long days in extreme heat and humidity, the three are half-way around the world from their families. Cell phone and Internet connections are very unreliable in the field, so it is difficult to stay in touch regularly with loved ones.

However, in Phnom Penh, the three chat with their families via video link, send text messages, and share videos. Gilarowski says she has even helped her daughter with her homework via video.

“It makes me feel I am not so far away and I can stay involved in her school work and daily life,” she points out.

After seeing videos about different sources of protein in Cambodia, Benefield’s nine-year old son is interested in trying bat. He told her “it sounds really good mama. When I become an expert I will try the fried tarantula". Her daughter nervously responded “Mama, do we have to eat that?”

On working overseas

In terms of her motivation for taking on the assignment in Cambodia, Granger says the interconnectedness of the modern world demands that everyone plays a role in achieving global stability, whether acting locally or globally. She believes the work she and her colleagues are doing in the coming year in helping to bring to justice those responsible for atrocities committed in Cambodia will help create a safer and more stable environment in that country.

Benefield out in the field.

“Thus far the reality of what I am doing in Cambodia has far exceeded my own expectations,” says Granger. “We know that any contribution we make is part of something so much bigger than ourselves, so we have to make it count.”

For Gilarowski, taking on this mission is about giving back to something larger than the day-to-day world in Canada. She also believes the skills she and her colleagues are gaining in Cambodia will also have benefits domestically.

“Here in Cambodia, our investigative skills are desperately needed. Doing this type of work in austere and adverse conditions makes us stronger as individuals and as a team. It has already shown us that we are more resilient than we perhaps gave ourselves credit for in the beginning.”

Benefield sees this mission as the pinnacle of her career, but admits that it was a tough decision, as a year is a long time to be away from her family. However, she notes that her short time in mission has already changed her.

“Priorities are different here and maybe that is the ultimate lesson to be learned for me. Don't worry about what you don't have and truly embrace what you do have,” she says. “Knowing I might be able to make a contribution that will ultimately assist in bringing closure and justice to those who have suffered so much made my decision easier.”

Canada’s engagement with Cambodia

Canada is a long-standing supporter of transitional justice, including the investigation and prosecution of Khmer Rouge leaders for the atrocities they committed against the people of Cambodia.

Canada was a key contributor to the peace process in Cambodia that resulted in the 1991 Paris Peace Accords. Since 2005, Canada has contributed $2.9 million to the ECCC. With this deployment, Canada continues to demonstrate its support for the protection of human rights, peace-building, justice and reconciliation in Cambodia.

This deployment is funded by the Global Peace and Security Fund, which is managed by the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force of Canada’s Department of Foreign, Affairs, Trade and Development.

RCMP: On the road to inclusion

The best thing for any organisation is to have an environment that is not only safe but also encourages the best skill-sets of your employees to come forward and in a functional manner be utilised by said organisation.

Good employees are not one gender, race, creed, religion, orientation, body etc. etc.

I experience life from a perspective of systems.  That is how I make sense of the World.   How people and things work together (or not).

I am excited to start on a new chapter of my life at almost sixty (60) years of age in Canada.

And I am looking forward to working with a multitude of structures (traditional and not) with a common goal of a safe Canada for all Her citizens.

Source: http://www.rcmp.gc.ca/women-femmes/02-02-eng.htm?fb

On the road to inclusion

Cst. Lory Kerr greets the crowd at the 2014 Toronto Pride Parade.

Fundamental shifts in thinking, culture, leadership styles and problem solving – all are critical to becoming an “inclusive organization.”

And, building on successes and lessons learned in promoting a more diverse and respectful workplace, this is the path the RCMP is on.

Over the last several months, we have marked the 40th anniversary of the first female troop and celebrated the contributions of all women – sworn and civilian – over more than a century of service to Canadians as part of the national police service.

Looking to the future, the RCMP wants to move beyond compliance with statutory diversity obligations to inclusion, which is about creating a work environment where employees feel valued and respected, and are able to contribute to their full potential, regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, age, or any other personal attribute.

“We need to look after our own people by engaging them in a dynamic, collaborative workplace built on respect, and creating this inclusive environment requires leadership across all levels,” Commissioner Bob Paulson says.

“When we get to the place where every employee feels that they belong, they are respected, their contributions are valued, and that their individuality is seen as a positive addition to our organization, we will know we have succeeded in achieving this goal.”

In this special 40th anniversary web section, the stories of many women have been told – those of some of the pioneers of Troop 17 who became the first female RCMP officers on Sept. 16, 1974, those who led in the labs and others who were the first in their specialized fields and those who have died in the line of duty.

It has been a look back at how things were for women in the RCMP. Now, as the anniversary of the March 3rd, 1975, graduation of that first troop nears, it is time to look forward.

“The operational benefits of a wide variety of perspectives are evident in the creativity and innovation necessary to be a leading-edge police service, both in working with the communities we serve, as well as in supporting an inclusive, respectful workplace,” says Janet Henstock, Manager of Diversity and Employment Equity.

And solid steps are being taken in the right direction. There are five internal national advisory committees that serve as a forum to identify issues and provide advice and recommendations to senior management about a range of topics including awareness training, changes to policies, or other ways to improve inclusiveness in the workplace. They, along with Henstock’s team and the divisional diversity committees, play an important part in ensuring the RCMP is inclusive and respectful of different backgrounds, religions, gender, ethnicities and sexual orientations.

The committees are for women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, First Nations people and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered/two-spirited (LGBT) communities.

The LGBT committee, the newest, was created in 2014 and is headed by D/Commr. Marianne Ryan, the RCMP’s first openly gay woman to hold the second-highest rank. Jean Turner, a member of the committee and a civilian communication specialist from “O” Division (Ontario), says this is a major step towards inclusion for the RCMP.

“Five to six per cent of the Canadian population identifies as LGBT which means probably about the same percentage of RCMP employees do too,” Turner says. “We don’t want to alienate six per cent of our membership.”

One of the first objectives for the committee is to get RCMP officers in Red Serge in Pride parades across the country. This past year, Mounties participated in and recruited at parades in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Halifax and other major cities.

“Being in Pride parades sends a clear message to those we serve but also to our members that we are inclusive and accepting of the LGBT community,” she says.

Turner had been married to a man for 10 years and had two children when in 2009, she realized and accepted that she was gay. She slowly came out to friends and some coworkers, but it was far from easy.

“It is really difficult to come out in a policing environment, even for a civilian,” she says.

Despite the fact that Canada is considered one of the most progressive countries in the world when it comes to LGBT rights, Turner believes many police officers who identify as LGBT continue to live dual lives.

“If we are going to foster a healthy workplace for everyone, we can’t have employees feeling that they have to keep so much of their lives secret.”

I do think it’s changing however.”

"H" Division (Nova Scotia)Diversity Coordinator Cpl. Christine Hobin

Cpl. Christine Hobin is “H” Division’s (Nova Scotia) Diversity Coordinator and a member of the National Advisory Committee for Visible Minorities. She says reflecting the communities the RCMP serves is not a nice to have, but a necessity.

“If we want to engage people, we need to understand the experiences of those we serve,” says the granddaughter of Virginia slaves who came to Canada on the Underground Railroad.

“It provides different perspectives and we need to have a wide perspective to be an effective police service.”

The movement to being an “inclusive organization” is gaining popularity in both the private and public sectors – including policing – in Canada, according to Henstock.

Some of the operational benefits reported by police services that have moved to inclusiveness include lowered crime statistics and increased community cooperation, trust and satisfaction. There are also internal benefits such as increased retention, more effective use of human resources and increased employee morale and motivation.

Turner says that if we want better solutions and better approaches, if we want to provide an innovative, community-based service, input from many different perspectives is key.

Simply put, she says, “all of us are smarter than one of us.”

Diversity committee champions: In their own words

“All employees play a crucial role in embracing diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. As the Champion of National Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities, I am confident that together we will continue to create and support workplaces that are inclusive, respectful and value equality. The RCMP has, and will, continue to work diligently to champion the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.”

A/Commr. Stephen White, National Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities Champion

“When we can provide a safe, respectful and healthy work environment for all diversity groups, we become a stronger, more inclusive and trusted organization. Our employees from the LGBT community all want to make a meaningful contribution to the RCMP's mandate of ensuring public safety in Canada – that contribution will be enhanced a hundred fold when we not only support, but celebrate our diversity.”

D/Commr. Marianne Ryan, LGBT National Advisory Committee Champion

“Having a workplace that values diversity and fosters an inclusive work environment sends a strong message to all employees. It tells them and the public that the RCMP is an organization in which employees feel included, valued and respected, allowing for better employee engagement, productivity, and increased employee morale.”

C/Supt. Craig Gibson, National Advisory Committee for Visible Minorities Champion

“We embrace diversity and inclusion as critical to enhance our effectiveness and to accomplish the RCMP's mission of ensuring the safety and well-being of all Canadians. To this end, we will meaningfully celebrate the diverse and unique perspectives of our First Nations, Metis and Inuit employees who continue to play a key role in strengthening our organization. The responsibility for diversity and inclusion lies with us all.”

A/Commr. Kevin Brosseau, RCMP Aboriginal Employee Council Champion

“The RCMP will ensure female employee's full participation in our organization by promoting a respectful environment, and by proactively monitoring gender representation in all areas of policing. We also will continue to remove or amend physical standards and policies without justifiable operational requirements. Other ways to impact inclusivity include the Commissioner's initiative to proactively increase the percentage of the Force's sworn officer positions to over 30 per cent women by 2025.”

D/Commr. Janice Armstrong, National Women’s Advisory Committee Champion

The RCMP is moving towards becoming an "inclusive organization."

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

3 hrs · 

The RCMP is moving towards becoming an "inclusive organization." We are creating a work environment where employees feel valued and respected, and are able to contribute to their full potential, regardless of any other personal attribute such as gender. Learn why in our special web section marking the 40th anniversary of the first female troop.http://www.rcmp.gc.ca/women-femmes/02-02-eng.htm?fb

Debra V. Wilson

RCMP: Women in Policing

Source: http://www.rcmp.gc.ca/recruiting-recrutement/fem/index-eng.htm?fb

Women in Policing

We're looking for motivated, professional and dedicated women to join our team.
Since 1974, women have made significant contributions as RCMP officers in every part of Canada and around the world. Women have brought with them a unique policing perspective. They help provide a balanced approach to resolving problems and developing relationships with the communities they serve. They have a positive impact on the community while enjoying vast opportunities for growth and development in dozens of specialized units.
From Constable to Commissioner, anything is possible for the proud and dedicated women who serve in this historic organization.
The RCMP is a door to lifelong adventure and a Career Nowhere Near Ordinary.

Do you have the qualities of a successful applicant?

Do you meet the qualifications and requirements?

If you answered yes, a Career Nowhere Near Ordinary is waiting for you to discover. Recruiters are available across the country to speak with you one on one and answer any of your questions.

More Information

Check out our Recruiting Events or Contact a Recruiter in your area and find out more.

Both female and male police officers bring a different perspective to policing that provides a balanced approach to resolving problems and developing relationships with the communities we serve.

Date modified:

2014-01-08