Canadian Forces National Investigation Service
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) is the investigative arm of the Canadian Forces Military Police
.
and the Canadian Forces
(CF). It performs a function similar to that of a Major Crime unit of the RCMP or large municipal police agency. The CFNIS was created to address lessons learned through the CF's experiences in Somalia
, the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and on other difficult deployed missions. The creation of the CFNIS also fulfilled recommendations made by the Special Advisory Group on Military Justice and Military Police Investigation Services , chaired by The Right Honourable Brian Dickson
, P.C., C.C., C.D. and the Report of the Military Police Services Review Group (Belzile Report) that the Military Justice System required an investigative agency that was independent of the chain of command.
, wherever Canadian Forces are established or deployed throughout the world, regardless of rank or status. Civilians deployed with the military can also be subject to the Code of Service Discipline. In addition, like all members of the Canadian Forces Military Police
, personnel of the CFNIS have the authority to lay charges in civilian court in cases where civilians break the law on or in relation to military bases.
, the Canadian Forces and the communities we serve at home and around the world.
. The members are selected for these positions and typically have a broad variety of experience both in Canada and with deployed CF Missions. Section 156 of the National Defence Act and Section 2 of the Criminal Code of Canada
define the powers of military police. Their investigative training is on par with any major police agency in Canada. They receive training at the Military Police Academy at CFB Borden
, through the Canadian Police College in Ottawa and through a variety of partnerships with domestic police agencies and our military allies.
The members of the CFNIS remain subject to the Military Police Code of Conduct and are subject to oversight by the Military Police Professional Standards organization and the Military Police Complaints Commission
, a federal independent, quasi-judicial body, established by the Parliament of Canada
.
is a Lieutenant-Colonel
, who reports directly to the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal
(CFPM). Regardless of the circumstance or environment, the members of the CFNIS remain under command of the CO CFNIS. The independence that results from this command relationship enables the CFNIS to conduct thorough investigations without fear of influence from any command element.
has condemned what it terms the service's 'incurious' reluctance to conduct an investigation into repeated allegations that Canadian Forces policies in Afghanistan were leading to the torture of Canada's prisoners at the hands of Afghan forces. Citing the CO's parliamentary testimony, the Globe notes that CFNIS dismissed allegations without reading key reports or judicial rulings and without collecting any evidence or conducting any interviews.
organizations, but CF members and DND employees can lay complaints, or communicate directly with regional offices or individual CFNIS members. Charges, through either civilian or military courts, can follow investigation and documentation of complaints that fall within the CFNIS mandate. Investigators receive dedicated, independent advice from Regional Military Prosecutors throughout the course of their investigations. The CFNIS works in close cooperation with other military police units and civilian law enforcement
agencies. Other countries with an independent military investigative capability include the United States
, United Kingdom
and France
.
While the CFNIS Regional Detachments are located on or near Canadian Forces Bases, the CFNIS personnel work independently from the normal military chain of command
. They receive direction and report directly to the CO CFNIS. The CFNIS has maintained a presence in every major CF deployment since 1997. The CFNIS has repeatedly demonstrated the value of their independence, investigative expertise, and ability to function under the most austere conditions. The CFNIS investigated the tragic "Friendly fire
" bombing of CF troops in Afghanistan. Each subsequent fatality in the operational theatre has also been investigated by the CFNIS including the death of two fellow Military Police members during an IED (Improvised Explosive Device
) attack.
Canadian Forces Military Police
The Canadian Forces Military Police provide military police services to the Canadian Forces.Canadian Military Police are unusual in that they are classified as Peace Officers in the Criminal Code of Canada, which gives them the same powers as civilian law enforcement personnel to enforce Acts of...
.
History
The CFNIS was established in 1997 with a mandate to investigate serious and sensitive matters related to Department of National DefenceDepartment of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
and the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
(CF). It performs a function similar to that of a Major Crime unit of the RCMP or large municipal police agency. The CFNIS was created to address lessons learned through the CF's experiences in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and on other difficult deployed missions. The creation of the CFNIS also fulfilled recommendations made by the Special Advisory Group on Military Justice and Military Police Investigation Services , chaired by The Right Honourable Brian Dickson
Brian Dickson
Robert George Brian Dickson, , commonly known as Brian Dickson, was appointed Chief Justice of Canada on April 18, 1984. He retired on June 30, 1990 and died October 17, 1998.-Career:...
, P.C., C.C., C.D. and the Report of the Military Police Services Review Group (Belzile Report) that the Military Justice System required an investigative agency that was independent of the chain of command.
Mandate
The CFNIS investigates serious or sensitive service and criminal offences against property, persons, and the Department of National Defence. It has authority and jurisdiction over persons subject to the Code of Service DisciplineCode of Service Discipline
The Code of Service Discipline is the basis of the Canadian Forcesmilitary justice system. The CSD is designed to assist military commanders in maintaining discipline, efficiency, and morale within theCF. It is found in Part III of the National Defence Act...
, wherever Canadian Forces are established or deployed throughout the world, regardless of rank or status. Civilians deployed with the military can also be subject to the Code of Service Discipline. In addition, like all members of the Canadian Forces Military Police
Canadian Forces Military Police
The Canadian Forces Military Police provide military police services to the Canadian Forces.Canadian Military Police are unusual in that they are classified as Peace Officers in the Criminal Code of Canada, which gives them the same powers as civilian law enforcement personnel to enforce Acts of...
, personnel of the CFNIS have the authority to lay charges in civilian court in cases where civilians break the law on or in relation to military bases.
Mission
To contribute to the maintenance of operationally ready, combat-capable forces by providing professional, timely and independent police investigative services to the Department of National DefenceDepartment of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
, the Canadian Forces and the communities we serve at home and around the world.
Composition
All personnel within the CFNIS are members of the Military PoliceCanadian Forces Military Police
The Canadian Forces Military Police provide military police services to the Canadian Forces.Canadian Military Police are unusual in that they are classified as Peace Officers in the Criminal Code of Canada, which gives them the same powers as civilian law enforcement personnel to enforce Acts of...
. The members are selected for these positions and typically have a broad variety of experience both in Canada and with deployed CF Missions. Section 156 of the National Defence Act and Section 2 of the Criminal Code of Canada
Criminal Code of Canada
The Criminal Code or Code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law"...
define the powers of military police. Their investigative training is on par with any major police agency in Canada. They receive training at the Military Police Academy at CFB Borden
CFB Borden
Canadian Forces Base Borden is a Canadian Forces base located in Ontario.The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, CFB Borden is the largest training facility in the Canadian Forces...
, through the Canadian Police College in Ottawa and through a variety of partnerships with domestic police agencies and our military allies.
The members of the CFNIS remain subject to the Military Police Code of Conduct and are subject to oversight by the Military Police Professional Standards organization and the Military Police Complaints Commission
Military Police Complaints Commission
Military Police Complaints Commission is a Canadian government independent, quasi-judicial agency which was established in December 1998 and is responsible for "handling of complaints concerning the Canadian Forces Military Police more transparent and accessible, and to ensure that both...
, a federal independent, quasi-judicial body, established by the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
.
Command and Control
The CFNIS Commanding OfficerCommanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
is a Lieutenant-Colonel
Lieutenant-Colonel (Canada)
In the Canadian Forces, the rank of lieutenant-colonel is an Army or Air Force rank equal to a commander of the Navy. A lieutenant-colonel is the second-highest rank of senior officer...
, who reports directly to the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal
Canadian Forces Provost Marshal
Canadian Forces Provost Marshal is also the Commander of the Canadian Forces Military Police Group. The Group includes the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, the investigation arm of the Canadian Forces Military Police, the Canadian Forces Service Prison and Detention Barracks, the...
(CFPM). Regardless of the circumstance or environment, the members of the CFNIS remain under command of the CO CFNIS. The independence that results from this command relationship enables the CFNIS to conduct thorough investigations without fear of influence from any command element.
Afghan Torture Allegations
An April 13, 2010 editorial in The Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
has condemned what it terms the service's 'incurious' reluctance to conduct an investigation into repeated allegations that Canadian Forces policies in Afghanistan were leading to the torture of Canada's prisoners at the hands of Afghan forces. Citing the CO's parliamentary testimony, the Globe notes that CFNIS dismissed allegations without reading key reports or judicial rulings and without collecting any evidence or conducting any interviews.
Operations and Services
Requests for CFNIS investigations come through regular military policeMilitary police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
organizations, but CF members and DND employees can lay complaints, or communicate directly with regional offices or individual CFNIS members. Charges, through either civilian or military courts, can follow investigation and documentation of complaints that fall within the CFNIS mandate. Investigators receive dedicated, independent advice from Regional Military Prosecutors throughout the course of their investigations. The CFNIS works in close cooperation with other military police units and civilian law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
agencies. Other countries with an independent military investigative capability include the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Organization
CFNIS services are provided through six regional offices, a deployed detachment (currently in Afghanistan) and a specialized support detachment- Halifax, serving Atlantic Canada;
- Valcartier, serving Eastern Canada;
- OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, serving Central Canada; - Borden, serving South Western Ontario;
- EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, serving the Prairie Provinces; - Esquimalt, serving the West Coast; and
- Kandahar AirfieldKandahar AirfieldKandahar International Airport is located 10 miles south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. The airport was built by the United States in the 1960s, under the United States Agency for International Development program. It may have been intended to be used as a possible U.S...
, JTF AFG - Support Detachment, servicing all regions with specialized investigative services including:
- criminal intelligenceCriminal intelligenceCriminal Intelligence is information compiled, analyzed, and/or disseminated in an effort to anticipate, prevent, or monitor criminal activity....
(under the intelligence-led policing model), - drug enforcement,
- computer forensicsComputer forensicsComputer forensics is a branch of digital forensic science pertaining to legal evidence found in computers and digital storage media...
, - polygraphPolygraphA polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
services, and - physical and technical surveillance.
- criminal intelligence
While the CFNIS Regional Detachments are located on or near Canadian Forces Bases, the CFNIS personnel work independently from the normal military chain of command
Chain of Command
Chain of Command may refer to:* Chain of command, in a military context, the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed* "Chain of Command" , the fifth episode of the first season of Beast Wars...
. They receive direction and report directly to the CO CFNIS. The CFNIS has maintained a presence in every major CF deployment since 1997. The CFNIS has repeatedly demonstrated the value of their independence, investigative expertise, and ability to function under the most austere conditions. The CFNIS investigated the tragic "Friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
" bombing of CF troops in Afghanistan. Each subsequent fatality in the operational theatre has also been investigated by the CFNIS including the death of two fellow Military Police members during an IED (Improvised Explosive Device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
) attack.