Changes to the Policy on the Wearing of Protective and Defensive Equipment

Please note that changes have been made to the Policy on the Wearing of Protective and Defensive Equipment.  These changes reflect our need to adjust to the daily operational and logistical challenges that we, as an Agency, have encountered since the policy was first issued in 2007.

The key changes are summarized as follows:

• Officers will now be permitted to wear protective and defensive equipment, including their duty firearm, when leaving a port of entry or other CBSA office for short meal or rest periods, provided they are not carrying out other personal business during this period;

Note:  Officers who retain their defensive equipment when they leave a port of entry for rest or lunch breaks are reminded that, notwithstanding the change in policy, officers’ legal authorities, powers and protections have not changed.  Specifically, officers are not authorized to exercise force outside of their job-related duties.

• The policy has been clarified to specify that officers are not permitted to carry defensive equipment outside of Canada and that officers providing technical assistance to police and other law enforcement agencies are not permitted to wear defensive equipment when these activities do not involve the enforcement of CBSA program legislation.

• Officers are now permitted to wear defensive equipment when attending job fairs directly related to the recruitment of CBSA uniformed or enforcement officers.

• Inland enforcement officers must remove their defensive equipment when dealing with low risk clients in an inland enforcement office.

The changes to the Policy on the Wearing of Protective and Defensive Equipment address some of the more pressing issues that have arisen.   A comprehensive review of the policy will be conducted over the next several months at which time consultations will be initiated with officers, managers and the Customs and Immigration Union.  A revised policy will be issued in early 2010.