The Debrief with Jon Becker Leaders & Legends - Inspector Kevin Cyr - RCMP ERT
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Feb 1, 2023 Kevin Cyr, an Inspector with the RCMP and commander of the Emergency Response Team in BC, shares insights from his 22-year career in law enforcement. He discusses the evolution of tactical teams, highlighting the shift from lethal options to modern de-escalation methods. Cyr explains the complexities of decision-making in high-pressure situations and the importance of effective training over merely acquiring advanced tech. He also addresses public expectations of policing and the impact of restrictive policies on officer actions.
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Unified Policing Builds Broad Capability
- The RCMP combines federal, provincial and municipal policing in one agency, enabling wide exposure and transferability across jurisdictions.
- Kevin Cyr credits high call volume and diverse operations for building operator proficiency and preparedness.
Embassy Siege Sparked A New Unit
- The Turkish embassy siege in Ottawa in the 1980s prompted Canada to form a higher-tier special emergency response team trained by the SAS.
- Early teams were designed as lethal-only options before modern de-escalation and less-lethal tools existed.
Origins Were Lethal-Focused
- Early special teams were conceived as a 'kill squad' for when all other efforts failed, reflecting a different era of tactics.
- Kevin Cyr emphasizes that modern policing requires de-escalation and options beyond lethal force.
