A cardboard anime figure dressed in the RCMP’s iconic Red Serge uniform turned heads at a recent recruiting booth, but the police agency says the prop was not part of its recruitment strategy.
The cutout
appeared at the RCMP booth during the Japan Canada Festival in Toronto earlier this summer, drawing attention online for its unusual depiction of the national police. The character in question is the virtual Japanese pop star, Hatsune Miku, who was created by the company Crypton Future Media.
In a statement to True North, RCMP spokesperson Robin Percival said the organizers of the festival approached the RCMP Foundation in April to ask about intellectual property rights for illustrating an anime character in Red Serge “to celebrate the enduring relationship between Canada and Japan.”
“Permission was granted with the intention of connecting with youth at the event. The concept was not part of the RCMP’s recruiting strategy. However, the prop was used as a photo opportunity at the RCMP booth as requested by the organizers,” Percival said.
The RCMP also noted that interest in policing careers has been rising sharply in recent years.
In 2023-24, the force received more applications than it had in a decade at over 17,600, up from fewer than 10,000 the year before.
Applications increased again in 2024-25 to more than 20,800.
“We continue our efforts to expand our processing capacity and streamline the process, and are beginning to see the benefits,” Percival said, adding that resourcing needs are being monitored weekly.
The RCMP said the anime character, while not part of its official recruitment approach, was intended as a cultural gesture and photo opportunity to help connect with youth audiences at the event.
A leaked email obtained by True North in July shows that Mark Carney’s government has directed the RCMP to identify nearly
$100 million in annual savings to cut the budget.
truenorthwire.com
