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Leadership and Promotional Challenges for Women in the RCMP
Jasmin

Introduction
North American policing has traditionally been a male domain,
with men holding the majority of positions at all ranks in policing
agencies. However, recent decades have witnessed a steady rise in the
number of women in these organizations. Despite advancements,
female police officers encounter systemic barriers to career
progression, particularly in promotion and leadership, including those
in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Conor et al., 2020). For many,
the RCMP uniform is not just a badge of service but a shield from
unwritten difficulties that continue to exist within the organization.
Beneath the facade of progress lies a complex reality characterized by
cultural resistance, structural inequalities, and capricious policy
implementation, all of which quietly influence their advancement and
professional success. This research investigates the central question:
"What are the key promotional and leadership barriers that continue
to hinder women's career advancement within the RCMP since 2013,
despite the implementation of gender equality policies and
initiatives?" The purpose of this study is to examine these ongoing
promotional and leadership obstacles in the RCMP to determine why
current policies have failed to establish equitable opportunities for
women and to provide concrete recommendations for promoting a
more inclusive organizational culture.

Discussion

Background
Women were first admitted to the RCMP on September 16, 1974,
when 32 pioneering women formed "Troop 17," marking a watershed
moment for gender diversity in Canadian law enforcement. Despite
this milestone, the journey toward gender equality within the RCMP
has been fraught with challenges, as evidenced by extensive
documentation of systemic discrimination spanning decades. By 2014,
women represented 21% of RCMP officers, with the organization
setting an ambitious goal to increase this representation to 30% by
2025. Multiple class action lawsuits highlighted the pervasiveness of
gender-based harassment, culminating in the landmark
Merlo/Davidson settlement in 2017, which provided $125 million in
compensation to 2,300 women for workplace misconduct. In response
to mounting criticism, RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson issued a
formal apology in 2013 and implemented the "Gender and Respect"
action plan, containing 37 recommendations to address harassment.
Despite these initiatives, a 2016 review questioned why, after more
than 15 reviews and over 200 recommendations, "a culture of
harassment remained entrenched within the force". This research
examines how these persistent barriers affect women in the RCMP,
focusing particularly on the post-2013 period when gender equality
policies were ostensibly strengthened but failed to create truly
equitable opportunities for leadership advancement (RCMP, 2024)

Methods
This research employed a transformative worldview and
qualitative secondary methodology to examine barriers to women's
career advancement in the RCMP. A systematic literature review was
conducted using keywords such as "women in policing," "gender
equality in law enforcement," and "RCMP gender equity policies."
Sources were gathered from JIBC Library Databases, Google Scholar,
and RCMP publications. From over 650 initial articles, results were
filtered to peer-reviewed publications (2013-2025) with clear
relevance to Canadian policing contexts. Studies were included if they
addressed systemic barriers in law enforcement and excluded if solely
historical or lacking relevance to Canada. This approach yielded 15
articles for review, with 10 ultimately selected for in-depth analysis
based on their strong empirical focus. Ethical integrity was maintained
throughout, with particular attention to respectful handling of case
studies and personal testimonies. Potential institutional bias in RCMP
reports was addressed through cross-examination of multiple sources
to distinguish between organizational rhetoric and actual progress.

Results
Women in the RCMP face persistent barriers, including biased
promotion systems, exclusionary networks, and work-life conflicts.
Despite policies like GBA+, inconsistent implementation has limited
progress in leadership equity (Reil, 2019). Moreover, the following
chart depicts this research’s key findings:

PBDLES

Women in the RCMP face persistent leadership barriers rooted in
structural inequities and cultural resistance. The study's systematic
literature review effectively synthesized qualitative insights with
quantitative data, revealing how hegemonic masculinity maintains
exclusionary networks that limit women's career advancement. Policy
implementation gaps reflect ritualistic compliance rather than cultural
integration, with GBA+ often reduced to a bureaucratic exercise
instead of driving systemic change. Work-life integration challenges
disproportionately affect women, with 40% declining promotions due
to caregiving responsibilities compared to 12% of men (Pamminger,
2022). The research highlights how tokenistic mentorship and
performative allyship sustain rather than challenge systemic barriers.
Research limitations include geographic constraints and reliance on
qualitative over longitudinal data, suggesting future studies should
employ mixed methods, disaggregate data intersectionally, and
incorporate international practices.

Conclusions or Recommendations
Despite post-2013 gender equality policies, women in the RCMP
still face barriers like biased promotions, work-life conflicts, and
harassment. GBA+ policies exist but lack accountability, limiting their
impact, especially for Indigenous and racialized women. As a 24-yearold female law enforcement student, there is a strong commitment to
advocating for a law enforcement system that ensures equal
opportunities for women. Future research should track long-term
career outcomes, study international gender equity initiatives, and
examine male officers’ views on allyship. The RCMP must improve
promotion transparency, expand mentorship, engage male allies, and
implement flexible mobility policies. Lessons from Canada’s
peacekeeping efforts can inform reforms, ensuring an inclusive
leadership culture (Reil, 2019).

References
Conor, P., Carruere, S., Amey, S., Marcellus, S. & Sauve, J. (2020,
December 8). Police Resources in Canada, 2019. Statistics Canada.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002x/2020001/article/00015-eng.htm
Pamminger, M (2022). Barriers to women in policing - traversing the
gender gap: an examination into the perceptions and experiences
of senior ranking policemen. [Thesis, University of Victoria].
UVicSpace. https://dspace.library.uvic.ca/items/38fe390a-787c4136-ab51-03823982893a
Reil, L. L. (2019). Gender issues in policing : women’s experiences in
Canadian law enforcement. [Thesis, University of British
Columbia]. cIRcle. https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0379792
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (2024, September 12). Celebrating 50
years of Women in the RCMP: Featuring Constable Laurie Chow.
Richmond RCMP. https://bc-cb.rcmpgrc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2122&languageId=1&cont
entId=85366

Justice Institute of British Columbia

March 2025