Brenda Lucki

Brenda Lucki COM is a Canadian retired police officer who served as the 24th commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police from April 2018 to March 2023.[1][2] She is the first woman to permanently hold the position.[3]

Brenda Lucki
COM
24th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
In office
April 16, 2018 – March 17, 2023
Minister
Preceded byDan Dubeau (acting)
Succeeded byMichael Duheme
Personal details
Born1966 (age 56–57)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Children2 (step children)
Alma materUniversity of Alberta (BA)
OccupationPolice officer

By virtue of her role, Lucki was the ex-officio Principal Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.

Early life and education

Lucki was born in 1966 and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Police career

In 1986, she joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Throughout her career, she has served in numerous provinces in Canada, to include: Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

From 1993 to 1994, she served on the United Nations Protection Force in the former Yugoslavia.

Lucki's other appointments and postings included the RCMP's peacekeeping program in Ottawa in 1995, and she was appointed to Commandant of the RCMP Academy, Depot Division in 2017.

Lucki was appointed RCMP Commissioner in 2018 by the government of Justin Trudeau, following the retirement of Commissioner Bob Paulson.[4]

On February 15, 2023, Lucki announced her retirement as a personal decision, effective March 17.[5] On March 17, it was accounted that Michael Duheme would serve as interim commissioner until the appointment of a permanent successor.

2022 invocation of Emergencies Act

On May 11, 2022, Lucki stated under oath to the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency (DECD) that "while her agency was consulted, it never requested nor recommended the [Emergencies Act]'s use."[6] The Senate and the House of Commons agreed to strike this committee to investigate the events associated with invocation of the Emergencies Act in the wake of the 2022 Freedom Convoy to Parliament Hill.[7][8][9]

Criticism

Lucki has been subject to a number of criticisms in her role as police commissioner.

Systemic racism in policing

In June 2020, Lucki was criticized for her explanation of systemic racism in the force, when she compared it to height.[10] She later admitted she “struggled” with the concept of systemic racism, and dismissed allegations of the RCMP holding racial biases different from any other organization.[11]

Lucki later commented that she better understood the concept of systemic racism and how it might exist within the RCMP.[12]

Spying on climate activists

In January 2022, a Canadian federal court ruled Lucki breached duty by failing to respond to a watchdog report on the alleged spying on anti-oil protestors.[13]

Alleged political interference in the Nova Scotia mass murder investigation

On June 21, 2022, the Halifax Examiner published an article alleging that—at the onset of the 2020 Nova Scotia mass murder investigation—Lucki promised Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and the Prime Minister’s Office to leverage the murders to get a gun control law passed.[14] The article alleges that Lucki pressured the RCMP to release details of the murder weapons despite the insistence of RCMP commanders that releasing this information might jeopardize the investigation.[14]

Awards and decorations

Lucki's personal awards and decorations received during her policing career include the following:[15]


RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Merit of the Police Forces
  • Appointed Commander (COM) on 16 April 2018[16]
  • Appointed Member (MOM) on 11 January 2013[16]
Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
United Nations Medal

during the Yugoslav Wars

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 2012[17]
  • Canadian version
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal2006 (20 Years), 2011 (25 Years), 2016 (30 Years), 2021 (35 Years)
Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
  • 27 May 2005
Pin Commander's Commendation
  • 2003
None Order of St John's Certificate
  • 1994
Pin UN Force Commander's Commendation
  • 1993

References
  1. "New RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki known for keeping her cool in tough times". Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  2. "Brenda Lucki appointed to lead Mounties amid calls to improve the culture | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  3. Leblanc, Daniel (May 6, 2018). "New Commissioner Brenda Lucki looks to rank-and-file Mounties to help change the RCMP". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  4. "RCMP Executive: Brenda Lucki". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  5. Tunney, Catharine (February 15, 2023). "RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki is stepping down". CBC News. Retrieved February 15, 2023. In a statement, Lucki said she had made a "personal decision" to leave the post.
  6. Benson, Stuart (May 11, 2022). "RCMP neither requested nor planned for Emergencies Act powers, commissioner tells MPs, Senators". Hill Times Publishing.
  7. "COMMITTEES DEDC Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  8. Wherry, Aaron (March 6, 2022). "The committee reviewing Trudeau's use of the Emergencies Act faces a daunting task". CBC.
  9. Boutilier, Alex (March 24, 2022). "Committee examining Liberals' emergency powers debates scope of inquiry". Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
  10. Gilmore, Rachel. "Asked about systemic racism in RCMP, Lucki discusses different heights of officers". ctvnews. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  11. "RCMP head says she's 'struggling' with definition of systemic racism for force | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  12. "RCMP head says she's 'struggling' with definition of systemic racism for force". Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  13. "RCMP commissioner breached duty with slow response to watchdog report, judge rules". ctvnews. The Canadian Press. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  14. "RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki tried to 'jeopardize' mass murder investigation to advance Trudeau's gun control efforts". Halifax Examiner.
  15. Government of Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (September 22, 2016). "RCMP executive | Royal Canadian Mounted Police". www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  16. "Order of Merit of the Police Forces List". The Governor General of Canada.
  17. "The Diamond Jubilee Medal List". The Governor General of Canada.
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