RCMP reverses mask policy for bearded officers

The RCMP has reversed its policy on mask-wearingafter being accused of discrimination over the rule,whichsaw bearded Mountiesincluding Sikh and Muslim officers reassigned to desk duty.

The policy, which was condemned by bothactivistsand Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, required front-line officers to wear properly fittedN95 respirator masks something that isn't always possible for RCMP members who wear beardsfor religious reasons.

In a statement Thursday, the chief human resources officer for the RCMP said that,following a risk assessment by commanding officers,"impacted bearded members across Canada may [now] return to operational duties" with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

"Calls for service will be triaged from call centres, with bearded members being assigned to respond operationally only if the risk of exposure is low or multiple responding officers will be present," said the statement from chief human resources officer Gail Johnson. "Each case will be assessed on an individual basis."

The original policy was described asdiscriminatory and disappointing by Prime Minister Trudeau, who addedit "shouldn't have happened."Under questioning in the House of Commons this week, Trudeau said the policy was an example of systemic racism in theRCMP.

Johnson said she was also disappointed in the policy.

"I share the frustrations of our police officers across Canada who are personally affected," she wrote Friday.

"While these dedicated and valued members have been accommodated for medical or religious reasons in response to the COVID-19pandemic, over the last few months they have not been able to serve Canadians on the front lines as we worked to find equipment and operational solutions."

The policy was implemented at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. RCMP Commissioner Brenda Luckiissued a directive onmask use for frontline officers, saying the respirators had to be sealed correctly and that"one of the most common causes of a breached seal is facial hair."

World Sikh Organization legal counselBalpreet Singhsaid his organization, which liaised with a group of about 30 officers,wrote to Lucki and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair to ask for a resolution to the issue. Blair's office condemned the policy and said it expected the issue to be rectified "as quickly as possible."

"Diversity in policing makes it more effective,"Blair wrote in astatement Thursday. "We must always be vigilant against systemic discrimination. Respect for religious and cultural differences is our strength as a Nation and of the RCMP."

"The RCMP will ensure that Sikh and Muslim officers can do their jobs safely, while respecting and accommodating their faith," he added."We thank them for their service."

Singh said the move was a step in the right direction.

"I'm going to be watching it very closely to make sure that everything goes smoothly," he said.

"But the RCMP officers I've spoken to since this announcement are quite hopeful that it will mean a substantive change to their situations."