News release - CACP International Policing Award 2022

08/09/22 - 08/09/27

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 9, 2022

The RCMP’s Sensitive and International Investigations Team 2 receives the 2022 CACP International Policing Award

QUÉBEC, QUÉBEC – The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) is proud to announce the winner of the CACP International Policing Award which recognizes the important contributions made by Canadian police services in global matters.  It acknowledges Canadian law enforcement personnel for their exceptional dedication and initiative in using Canadian policing skills to contribute to a safer world and seeks to encourage more Canadian police services to contribute to and work on the international scene.

This year’s award recipient is the Sensitive and International Investigations Team 2 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for the successful implementation of Project Arrow, an initiative to stop the threat to human life in the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In June 2020, a subject based in Kelowna, British Columbia was identified as having produced hateful videos and audio recordings targeting the Kasaian ethnic group in the Katanga region of the DRC.  These messages clearly incited hatred and violence against this ethnic group and posed a clear and present danger to civilians living in this region of the DRC as well as to the overall security of the region.

The threat was considered to be urgent given the subject’s clear connections with dangerous militias operating in the DRC as well as a fugitive UN-sanctioned warlord, and a deadline was given by the suspect to the members of this group to leave the region or face an operation designed to ‘cleanse’ the region of them. The investigative team identified the subject and mobilized to execute a search warrant, disrupting the plot against this group. Investigators also identified possible co-conspirators and worked closely with the Australian Federal Police to assist their intervention.

Subsequent investigation led to the identification of victims and intelligence that would assist international law enforcement in their efforts to protect human life. Charges were laid against the suspect and after a tireless effort form the British Columbia Prosecution Service, a conviction was entered. Post-conviction, the subject was deported from Canada in line with the War Crimes Program’s mandate to ensure that Canada is not seen as a safe haven for war crime-related offenders.

The RCMP has since worked to provide the significant intelligence gathered in this investigation to international partners including the Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group to assist with ensuring the continued safety and security of persons in the Katanga region of the DRC and beyond.

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For further information or to arrange a media interview, please contact:

Natalie Wright
Communications Advisor
communications@cacp.ca 
613.838.880