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Canadian police missions to Haiti, Mali, Ukraine, Iraq and the Middle East receive special operation status

Special Duty Operations status gives these Canadian police peacekeeping missions status comparable to military peace and stabilization missions, meaning police who have served on these missions may now be eligible for certain benefits, including appropriate health coverage.

“Canadian police are deployed to some of the world’s most challenging places in the service of peace. They make significant sacrifices to serve overseas, living in danger and facing hardships while spending time apart from their loved ones,” Lucki said. “By designating these missions as Special Duty Operations, Canada is demonstrating the value and benefit of our police officers abroad, recognizing their service and sacrifice, and ensuring they are appropriately taken care of both during and after this tremendous service.”

When Canadian police officers began deploying to operations where the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) were not, the policy excluded them from benefits and coverage. With the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale, designating missions as SDO, Canadian police officers can now have comparable status and benefits as CAF members while serving abroad.

Since 1989, approximately 4,000 Canadian police officers participated in over 66 operations abroad. Canada deploys Canadian police officers to peace and stabilization operations through the International Police Peacekeeping and Peace Operations Program, which is managed by the Canadian Police Arrangement, a partnership between the RCMP, Public Safety Canada and Global Affairs Canada.

A table identifying the 10 missions that have obtained SDO designation can be found here and above.