Federal unit of RCMP faces staff crunch, many positions vacant

The RCMP's federal unit, which investigates Canada's serious crime cases, is facing staff shortages.

According to RCMP spokesperson Marie-Eve Breton, the federal policing wing is short about 1,000 positions.

At present, the wing has 507 fewer police officers than a decade ago and 500 more posts are vacant.

Breton said federal policing currently has about 5,000 employees.

The RCMP has two main policing units, one that provides local and regional law enforcement officers to the states and the other is a federal policing wing that investigates cases related to national and international crimes such as money laundering, foreign interference and drug trafficking.

The National Security Committee of Parliament has also expressed concern over the lack of staff in the RCMP's federal unit.

Lawmakers have asked Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc to direct the RCMP to address staffing issues, and if the RCMP doesn't do so, then consider a stand-alone federal policing agency.