Discrimination in the workplace

Problem statement

           Safety in the workplace and cooperation with locals are some of the important elements that people consider before deciding to pursue a career in law enforcement. In Canada however, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police faces major issues related to discrimination based on gender and sexual preferences. This research will therefore seek to answer the question, is it morally forbidden to discriminate against other people on the grounds of misogyny or homophobia when you are a member of the RCMP force? 

Thesis statement

           Although members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police force are expected to practice professionalism while in the field, issues related to discrimination relating to discrimination based on race and sexual preferences have forced recruits to carefully consider the ethical ramifications of joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 

Introduction

           Discrimination in the workplace has become one of the major challenges that exist in a diverse working environment. Organizations have been forced to seek out different ways to promote unity and help reduce cases of discrimination in the workplace. Although the majority of organizations and institutions have developed policies that help establish a culture that is against discrimination and oppression of others, the same cannot be said of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police department. News reports, complaints from victims, and testimonials from witnesses have revealed a great deal of discrimination that exists amongst law enforcement officers in the RCMP. Recruits and youths aspiring to join the RCMP must therefore consider their options before joining the RCMP as it is likely to expose them to an environment full of discrimination based on race, sex, and sexual orientation. 

Background

           The Royal Canadian Mounted Police was intended to serve the interests of the community and protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens in their jurisdiction. While there are those committed to upholding the principles and purpose the police force was originally intended for, the RCMP has taken on a different image that greatly differs from what the force was intended to achieve (Aielo, 2020). Cases of discrimination and use of excessive force are common in the RCMP. Officers from the department have been reported to engage in violent acts against one another and also when apprehending suspects (Aielo, 2020). The negative reputation has made it difficult for the law enforcers to carry out their duties and also made the recruitment for new officers more difficult. 

           A majority of the ethical dilemmas that a recruit is likely to face in the RCMP are attributed to the issues of discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. The specialized teams that exist in the RCMP are greatly to blame for the existence of gender-based discrimination and sexual assault in the department (Lewis, 2013). Recruits trying to fit into the specialized teams are often required to perform sexual favors to top officials to secure a position in the specialized teams. Oftentimes, men are given leadership positions and result in forcing women to different forms of sexual harassment. Recruits are also subjected to harassment in the form of pejorative comments and penetrative sexual assault especially amongst female officers (Lewis, 2013). Members of the LGBTQ community are also at risk as issues of being out without the individual's consent are common in the RCMP. Recruits seeking to work with the RCMP must therefore be prepared to work in a hostile environment not only in the field but also at the base of operations.

           Recruits seeking to join the RCMP must also take into consideration the impact that working in an organization with a bad reputation could have on their career goals and overall safety. Similar to other police departments, the success, and safety of police officers while on duty is greatly influenced by the nature of the relationship they have established with the general public (RCMPA, 2016). Concerning RCMP, the rampant issues of sexual harassment, police brutality, and discrimination in the workplace have destroyed the reputation that the RCMP once had with the public. Recruits must therefore expect major challenges even when performing simple tasks such as collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses (Aielo, 2020). Such an environment also poses great risks for the recruits and other officers especially during arrests where the public strongly opposes actions engaged in by the RCMP force. Those seeking to join the RCMP must therefore be prepared to work under hostile conditions and expect challenges to arise from within and also from the general public. 

           The hazardous working environment that exists in the RCMP is greatly attributed to the lack of unity and cooperation amongst the officers when performing their duties. Recruits are also likely to face the ethical dilemma of discrimination based on sex which is common in the RCMP and greatly favors men. Most of the leadership positions and highly ranked departments are occupied by men (Fine, 2020). There also exist systematic barriers that make it difficult for women to become successful enough to qualify for high ranking positions. Often, female officers are requested to perform sexual favors to qualify for desired positions. Sexual harassment is also common and a significant number of women have issued complaints and reported cases of rape and other forms of sexual harassment by superiors (Tasker, 2016). Such an environment is dangerous for recruits because it discourages teamwork creates a hostile environment that may not be ideal for recruits. 

The ethical dilemmas can however be resolved through concepts such as the Respect for Persons. If used correctly, the Respect for Persons could help to identify areas that need to be rectified to help members of the RCMP make better decisions that are free from bias (Downie & Telfer, 2020). At present, most of the ethical issues that recruits are likely to face in the RCMP are influenced by the culture where most officers are more concerned with fulfilling their interests. The approach will therefore force them to factor in how one’s actions affect another and why it is important to protect people’s rights and freedoms (Caruso, 2016). The Respect for Persons can also help train RCMP officers on the importance of protecting the rights and freedom of the people under their care, especially those who cannot do it for themselves. 

           An argument can be made that the public and the media are to blame for the high number of cases relating to discrimination and the negative image that is associated with the RCMP. The objection is based on the various cases where civilians dressed up or imitated the RCMP officers and went on to terrorize residents (Aielo, 2020). Despite the occurrences where civilians imitated RCMP officers, there is enough evidence to support the claim that the working environment that RCMP officers have to work in is undesirable. The few innovations and development projects have done little to improve the hostility that exists among officers in the RCMP force. 

           Although recruits are likely to face various challenges after enrolling with the RCMP, there have been various developments that have been launched to try and create a better and safer working environment for RCMP officers. A good example is a decision made by the department to compensate over 2,304 women for being victims of different forms of sexual assault from their colleagues (Aielo, 2020). The government has also paid millions of dollars to help settle lawsuits and provide legal representation for victims from the RCMP who may not be able to represent themselves in court. The added support and combined efforts from the top management could help create a more ideal working environment that is a deal for recruits and officers. 

           The Royal Canadian Mounted Police can also employ the use of the act-utilitarian and rule-utilitarian concepts to ensure that any positive change that is introduced is sustainable. Under the Act-Utilitarianism, the RCMP can help law enforcers to think more about the nature of their actions and how they contribute to discrimination and other challenges that exist in the RCMP (Frey, 2013). Often, discrimination occurs because the officers are not fully aware of the impact that their actions have on the population and colleagues. The Rule-utilitarianism concept on the other hand will help the RCMP to develop and implement rules that seek to create a better working environment and also protect the rights and freedoms of the officers and the general public (Mokriski, 2019). The process to introduce new rules should focus on identifying areas where discrimination occurs to enact policies that try to prevent such forms of discrimination and oppression from occurring. 

Conclusion

           The image associated with the RCMP has continued to deteriorate over the years. Issues relating to discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, and position in society have made it difficult for recruits enrolled in the police force. The unsafe and hostile working environment that exists in the RCMP forces recruits to work under strenuous conditions and overcome major challenges even before they get the chance to adjust to their new environment. Despite these challenges, however, concepts such as rule utilitarianism and act utilitarianism can be used to develop new policies that determine how members of the RCMP interact with one another and with the general public. Despite the prohibition on actions that result in discrimination and oppression of officers and recruits, there is still a need for more efforts to try and create an ideal working environment in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police force and make it more suitable for officers and recruits alike. 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Aiello R, (2020) “It shook me: Report details toxic and hateful culture within RCMP” CTV         News, retrieved from, https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/it-shook-me-report-details-            toxic-and-hateful-culture-within-rcmp-1.5195954

Caruso, P. M. (2016). Respect for persons: The foundational moral disposition in medicine (a      renewed physician ethos: respect for patients as persons). Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt University

Downie, R. S., & Telfer, E. (2020). Respect for persons: A philosophical analysis of the   moral, political and religious idea of the supreme worth of the individual person.           London: Routledge.

Fine S, (2020) “RCMP discriminated against female staff in job sharing program: Supreme          Court” The Globe and Mail, retrieved from,         https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-rcmp-discriminated-against-female-            staff-in-job-sharing-program/

Frey G, (2013). Act‐Utilitarianism. In The Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory (eds H.       LaFollette and I. Persson). https://doi.org/10.1111/b.9780631201199.1999.00012.x

Lewis T, (2013) “RCMP discriminates against and abuses first nations women” BBC News,         retrieved from, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-21447735

Mokriski D, (2019) “The eligibility of rule utilitarianism” Journal of Ethics and Social     Philosophy” retrieved from, https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/it-shook-me-report-            details-toxic-and-hateful-culture-within-rcmp-1.5195954

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, (2016) “Public interest investigation report into issues         of workplace harassment within the royal Canadian mounted police” Government of Canada, retrieved from, https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en/public-interest-        investigation-report-issues-workplace-harassment-within-royal-canadian-mounted

Tasker P, (2016) “RCMP’s recent history of harassment, abuse and discrimination” CBC,             retrieved from, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rcmp-sexual-harassment-history-    1.3453413