'The gift they gave us was their service': 50 years since first female troop joined the RCMP

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

In September 1974, “Troop 17” became the first group of women to take the oath to become regular members of the RCMP and begin their training at the legendary RCMP Academy in Regina.

RCMP Supt. Dustine Rodier says she’s honoured to be able to celebrate such a milestone.

“This is a groundbreaking, monumental event and to be a part of it, it’s pretty special,” Rodier said during an interview with CTV Atlantic’s Bruce Frisko on Monday.

Rodier joined the organization 30 years ago as a police dispatcher. It didn’t take long before she realized she wanted to be on the other side of the radio. She joined as a regular member in 2000.

“I knew that that’s what I wanted to do. I always thought growing up that I would join the Canadian forces or something like that. But it wasn’t until I got into dispatching when I thought, ‘No, this is where I need to be,’” she said.

“Troop 17” led the way for many women interested in joining the force, something Rodier doesn’t believe they knew at the time of their enrolment.

“These women, I don’t know if they knew the degree of leadership and mentorship that they would be showing in the organization today to come. They literally opened the door for every one of us to walk through behind us. And the gift they gave us was their service,” said Rodier.

“I believe that it’s incumbent on all of us now to take that gift and pay it forward.”

Rodier had the honour of meeting Bev Busson, who was a member of “Troop 17.”

“Actually, she was helping us organize a conference and she was the most humble, down-to-Earth leader I’ve ever met,” said Rodier. “Even just talking to her on the phone and the appreciation that she had for women in policing."

Over the years, there have been well-documented incidents of bullying and discrimination in the force, but Rodier believes it’s gotten better.

"I think that the organization has made significant strides in addressing harassment and bullying and stigma with respect to mental health," Rodier explained. "But all that to say, I think we have so far to go… and I firmly believe that the behaviour that you walk by is the behaviour that you accept. And it's up to all of us – there's leaders at every level and every position in this organization – and it’s up to everybody if they see something, to be confident that they can come forward."

Rodier says even with growth still needed within the organization, she would recommend others join the RCMP "in a heartbeat."

"It's important for people to know that when they join the RCMP, they will come out of training with the confidence and the skills and the knowledge to be successful on the road."

Rodier says the force has also made strides to be more inclusive to the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

"It's diversity across the organization that the RCMP has really tried to address to be better at. Again, I think we have a long way to go and the only way to make those lasting changes is to literally roll up our sleeves and get into it and have those challenging conversations. That's the only way we're going to make any change."

Women interested in joining the force can find online information sessions on the RCMP website.

"But know that you would be joining a police force full of strong, brave, courageous women who are also police officers… and with that, you will have the support, you will have the confidence in order to be successful."