Bev Busson was the 21st Commissioner of the RCMP from December 2006 to June 2007, and the first woman to hold the position. Among her many accomplishments, Busson was named Commander of the Order of Merit of Police Forces by the Governor General, recognized as a Member of the Order of Canada as well as a Member of the Order of British Columbia. In this fifth Q-and-A in our RCMP Commissioners series, Busson shares with Gazette writer Meagan Massad what she learned in the job about teamwork, credibility, and leadership.
- When did you know you wanted a career with the RCMP?
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It sounds cliché, but I always had a desire to do something outside the box that would make a difference. I'd just graduated from teacher's college and was teaching special needs children all while wondering what I wanted to do with my life. I'd always admired the RCMP and thought "If I were a man then that's the job I'd do." But one day I was driving to my teaching job and heard on the radio that the rCMP was going to be accepting applications from women. It was like destiny pulling me in another direction. I drove to the local detachment and picked up an application that same day.
- You were in the first female troop of RCMP cadets. What did that mean to you?
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When I first applied, I hadn't realized the significance or considered it to be a 'trailblazer' moment. But hindsight is 20/20. Being part of the first female troop only started to resonate when I was sworn in. Media was all around us at Depot [the RCMP training academy] and a big TV network was on site with cameras. This was an adjustment because we were trying to fit in and not receive any special treatment.
- What were the challenges you faced?
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We wanted credibility from the male troops. When you're out in the field, you're expecting your partner might save your life someday and vice versa. So, we wanted the other male cadets to know they could count on us in the same way as a male partner.
The challenge was trying to fit in and not be perceived as having special treatment. Being the first troop of women in the force, our dress code, dwellings, and training was all different than the male officers. The organization was trying to adjust to having both men and women on board. A month before we finished training at Depot, we were finally able to engage in self-defense training with men; it was with another troop that had been there less time than us. We were pretty tough after having about four months of experience over them. It was important for us to be able to have that experience because in real life, you don't only fight women.
- Did these same challenges extend to your work as a police officer after you graduated?
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When we finally got out there, we had to fight extra hard to prove to our male counterparts that we were up to the task. I was incredibly conscious about 'street cred' and being able to hold the respect of the people I worked with. So, when I went on to work in a very small detachment in Saskatchewan, I tried to put myself out there as best I could. I went out of my way to request night shifts or volunteer for the longer ones.
In our profession, we call it a family. But it's more than a family, it's a survival team. We depend so much on one another. Nobody is a one-person show. Anything from a traffic stop to high-level investigations always requires a team.
- Were there any bosses in particular who supported you in your career?
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I had many wonderful non-commissioned officers and superintendents to guide me, but a time that stands out to me is when I was commissioned in northern Saskatchewan. My boss there was an incredibly well-respected superintendent who was committed to having a successful female officer in his detachment. So, the first thing he did was send me on a critical incident commanders training course. I became the officer who dealt with hostage situations and the Emergency Response Team. That gave me an instant link to his credibility and I gained a lot of respect from my peers. So those kinds of things made a huge difference for me while I worked there.
- How did you approach the job of Commissioner?
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When I first became Commissioner, I liked going down to the cafeteria and getting my tray and walking around until I found a table of constables or corporals. I'd sit down with them and talk whenever I could. You're only as good as your best information. If you can stay in touch with what's happening on the inside, you can better understand the everyday struggles of people. I learned what needed to change or be improved.
Computers can do it all. They can drive a car, they can tell you the policy, and they can tell you what's next. But what computers can't do is tell you the right decision to make in a crisis. We need good leaders to help discern the path ahead. The surest way to make the right call is to stay as best informed as you can.
- What was your mantra?
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Throughout my career, it's been obvious to me that it's all about the people around you. When you have a team that understands you're all in this together, you can get the best potential out of people. It's all about making people feel supported – that you've got their back. A famous leader once said "no one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." Nobody has ever said I was the best investigator, but I like to believe that my leadership was appreciated.