In an attempt to pull out of their reputation’s tailspin, the RCMP will hire a cameraman to help restore public confidence by recording police operations and disseminating the most dramatic footage.

John Ferry of the Province argues “some will argue the new cameraman will simply be acting as a police propaganda agent.” That’s an oversimplification, but even he states that it will be a “police-friendly lens.” Will the videographer simply spread propaganda, as Merriam-Webster defines it, and “disseminate information for the purpose of helping an institution”?

The RCMP is attempting to regain public confidence, but simply filming its officers is not going to change the organisation. The RCMP is no stranger to public criticism of heavy-handed tactics in BC. Just think of the images of their encounters with Aboriginal people, the Doukhobors, Japanese Canadians and now, increasingly, political activists. Is the public to believe that, if a videographer is present, that the police will become even-handed and accountable? More to the point, will the RCMP cease spreading misinformation because a videographer is present?

The videographer is an exercise in police propaganda. This is not condemnation per se, as one can imagine that the public and community organisations like the BC Civil Liberties Associations will one day be calling for the release of video footage. Then again, how are we to know it exists when it is the RCMP that decides what will be released? A problem exists if the RCMP are going to use the videographer to polish its image instead of making real changes. Will the purpose of the videographer be to excuse bad conduct because policing is too difficult to do with propriety?

If that is the case, the purpose of the videographer is highly questionable. How should one interpret the purpose when RCMP spokesperson Tim Shields’ says of the footage: “The more dramatic the better, because it’s important that the public sees what is truly going on in their communities. We have nothing to hide.”

Most police work is not dramatic, and shouldn’t be. Should the RCMP be sifting through its work looking for or creating drama, sensationalising its work in order to promote a skewed view of policing? Crime is down but the fear of crime is up, and this fear is capitalised upon to increase police powers at the expense of civil liberties. Will the public be served by the RCMP’s version of Cops or To Serve and Protect? Or would the public be better served by a move towards real change: increased civilian oversight, independent civilian investigations of complaints, public accountability, transparency, policy reform…

Propaganda is an essential part of propping up bad regimes. There is nothing wrong with the RCMP filming its work, but there seems to be something wrong here.

Tags: RCMP

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