We can expect the new leader of D-Division to make a big push for more RCMP officers in Manitoba.
“Recruitment and retention are a very high priority for us right now,” says Rob Hill. The Assistant Commissioner was recently named as the new Commanding Officer for Manitoba RCMP.
Hill says the job market is very competitive right now and that means he will have to work hard to find new members who want to work in our province and retain employees who are already serving in Manitoba.
“We're competing not only with other law enforcement agencies, but we're also competing with certain industries and other things as well,” he says. “And I would just like to say that Manitoba is a great place to live and I'm very proud to be able to be the commanding officer of D-Division Manitoba.”
When he travels to the RCMP Academy next month, Hill plans to tell new officers about the benefits of working in Manitoba. He says our province is a great place to work, especially for new members.
“We have such a variety of roles and posts who can have here,” he notes.
Hill says there is great benefit to having local representation on the police force and would like to see a greater number of officers from the communities that are being served by the RCMP.
“You know, somebody from Steinbach, young men and women who would be interested in joining the RCMP, in our Indigenous communities, and all our other rural communities as well,” he says. “I would strive for us to be able to recruit those from the communities we serve.”
Hill points to a couple of other key areas that require his attention.
“One is employee wellness. Of course, we need our employees to be well if they’re to look after and serve the public. The second is reconciliation. It's a high priority for us in D-division Manitoba, in terms of reconciliation with our Indigenous people in the province.”
The primary objective is always public safety, Hill points out.
As the Commanding Officer, Hill is responsible for more than 1,000 regular members and approximately 500 civilian members and public service employees serving in 80 detachments across the province, as well as at the Manitoba RCMP headquarters in Winnipeg.
He grew up in a Royal Canadian Air Force family and lived across Canada. Hill has quite the resume, which includes serving as a medic in the Canadian Armed Forces. When he returned to Manitoba in 1997, Hill served as a constable in the RCMP, posted to Morris.
In his career, Hill became very involved in the Critical Incident Program, first as a Tactical Medic with the Emergency Response Team in Manitoba, then later as part of the National Critical Incident Program in Ottawa, where he developed and oversaw the implementation of the RCMP’s Tactical Casualty Management Program. When he was posted to Nunavut in 2013, he continued his involvement in the program and was a Critical Incident Commander.
Prior to being named as the Commanding Officer of the Manitoba RCMP, Hill served as the Criminal Operations Officer in Manitoba and was responsible for the day-to-day core policing activities of the RCMP in this province. He also served as the Assistant District Officer and a Detachment Commander in Alberta, the Administration and Personnel Officer in Iqaluit, an investigator and supervisor with the Winnipeg Drug Section, and a general duty police officer in Island Lake, Manitoba.
“The Manitoba government congratulates Assistant Commissioner Hill on being selected for this critical role,” says Kelvin Goertzen, Manitoba Justice Minister and Attorney General. “His previous experience in Manitoba and throughout Canada will serve Mr. Hill well as he offers leadership to the RCMP, confidence to Manitobans and skill to the many challenges that come with policing. We are grateful for his continued service and the dedication of all those serving in the RCMP in Manitoba and Canada.”