REGINA — For the new commanding officer of RCMP F Division, Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, the change of command ceremony on Thursday afternoon was long in coming.
The ceremony was delayed by COVID-19. The pandemic and its restrictions prevented a formal ceremony recognizing the changeover at F Division until Thursday, when the official change of command finally took place at the RCMP Academy in Regina.
Blackmore has been officially in charge as commanding officer since April 12, 2021, taking over from Assistant Commissioner Mark Fisher who retired from the RCMP in 2020. Fisher has since accepted the role as new chief constable of Oak Bay Police Force.
Neither the long wait, nor the fact that she was already in the job, made it any less of a special occasion for Blackmore and for members of the RCMP, who held the ceremony to great pageantry in Regina.
Prominent dignitaries were in attendance, including Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty and the national RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki.
The change of command saw Commissioner Lucki preside over the signing of the parchment, recognizing the change from the old to the new commanding officer.
CO Blackmore signed the documents, to at last formally take over command of the top role for the RCMP in Saskatchewan.
“It’s a huge day, it’s incredibly special,” Blackmore told reporters afterwards.
“I’m very proud to be in the role that I am in. Being a commanding officer is a great responsibility, but it is such a great opportunity as well to provide that support that our front lines to make sure they are providing that excellent policing services that they give every day to the people of Saskatchewan.”
She called F Division a unique division because Depot is located here. “People in this province are very proud of the fact that every Mountie that has served across this great country and around the world has come through the province of Saskatchewan and this training facility.”
Outgoing CO Fisher was saluted by members of the RCMP who removed their headdress and gave him the three cheers chant in a final tribute.
Blackmore has had a long and active career moving up the ranks of the RCMP across Canada. She got her start in the RCMP in 1995 in Saskatchewan, working in Assiniboia, Regina and Buffalo Narrows.
She also has extensive experience at national headquarters in Ottawa, and was district commander of Western Alberta just prior to taking over in Saskatchewan.
The new commanding officer identified some main priorities she wants to accomplish in her role. One of those is to continue efforts to promote reconciliation and improve the RCMP’s relations with First Nations and Métis in the province.
“We are continuing with our reconciliation efforts with our Indigenous people. So, we have various initiatives starting, to look at how we can advance those. There’s been lots of great progress in that area, but we want to do more. We are working on recruitment, making sure that people understand the great opportunities the RCMP offers, and recruiting individuals from Saskatchewan and making sure they understand what we are looking for in a police officer and what we can offer them.”
From a law enforcement standpoint, Blackmore identified a few priorities, including dealing with drug and gang violence in the province.
“One of the things we really want to focus on, and me in particular, is our issues with gangs, guns and drugs,” said Blackmore. “The province has helped us in providing additional resources this year that will target traffickers and really focus on the guns, drugs and human smuggling that’s happening both within the province, and drugs and guns coming into the province from elsewhere, focusing on that. It’s such a level of violence, and it causes so much harm to individuals in so many communities, that we are targeting those individuals who are intent on causing harm to individuals.”
Blackmore also said they were cognizant of rural crime issues, but also noted that for individuals drug trafficking and thefts often go hand in hand, because one is a source of income for the other.
“We’re really focusing on trying to deal with those prolific offenders, the small number of individuals I would say that create the biggest harm to individuals and largest number of crimes."
In speaking to reporters Commissioner Lucki expressed her confidence in Blackmore as the new commanding officer.
“She just needs to keep doing what she does, because she’s doing it so well, she’s such a leader and I’m just really so proud to see her in this position. She’s got such a great future in Saskatchewan and with the RCMP.”
