RCMP e-mail creates tension

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OTTAWA, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson's comments about cleaning up the force have created tension among members who say they are "not all a bunch of screw-ups."

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has been hit in the past several years by a number of scandals, prompting Paulson to call for reforms to restore public confidence in the national police force, CBC News reported Friday.

However, Paulson's remarks on weeding out the "bad apples" in a video statement have led some Mounties to take offense.

A staff sergeant from British Columbia sent Paulson an e-mail message in July saying new policies are creating mistrust between officers and senior managers.

"We are not all a bunch of screw-ups but it is evident we are all being lumped into that category and we are not valued and trusted," Chad wrote.

Paulson fired back via e-mail that Chad is "living under a rock" if he believes the RCMP doesn't need an "all hands on deck" approach to bringing back the public's trust.

"Wake up Man, this organization is at risk," Paulson wrote.

The RCMP is facing a number of lawsuits from women who allege they were harassed and bullied while on the force and has faced other scandals, including the stun gun-related death of a Polish immigrant at Vancouver International Airport.

"When some of our members think of our challenges as being a PR exercise that is being dominated by some bad behaving members then we do the organization a disservice," Paulson told CBC in an interview.

Staff Sgt. Mike Casault from the RCMP's staff relations program said he has heard other complaints similar to Chad's.

"There are some members out there that are getting disgruntled, discouraged and so Tim [Chad] is not the only one," Casault said.