Law Enforcement in Canada - Police Forces

Police Forces

Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador maintain their own provincial police forces: The Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec (Quebec Provincial Police) and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Smaller municipalities often contract police service from the provincial policing authority, while larger ones maintain their own forces. Newfoundland's provincial police force is only responsible for its larger urban areas (St. John's, Corner Brook and Labrador West); the province has contracted the RCMP to patrol the rest of the province. The RCMP, colloquially known as Mounties, serves as the provincial police in the territories and the other seven provinces, and in some smaller municipalities serves as the local police force as well. Thus, the RCMP is the only police force of any sort in some areas of the country. In addition, many First Nation's Reserves have their own police forces established through agreements between the governing Native Band, province and the federal government.

There are also a few private police forces with some of the powers usually reserved for governmental forces (as it relates to company property). The Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway each have their own police force. In fact, any railway in Canada can appoint police officers under the Railway Safety Act. The duties of private railway police are to prevent crimes against the company and protection of goods, materials, and public rail transit being moved on their rail systems. They work to protect the public, rail personnel, and property owned or administered by the railways. The regular public police maintain authority and jurisdiction for all criminal offences, regardless of whether the offence occurs on public or private property. Some hospitals, universities, transit commissions, power authorities and other agencies employ special constables. The local police chief has statutory and Common Law authority and responsibility for the jurisdiction policed. The duties of private special constables are determined by their employers and have authorities limited by statutes under which they operate. All persons and companies have access to public police.