Canadian Forces National Investigation Service

The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) is the investigative arm of the Canadian Forces Military Police. The CFNIS is an independent military police unit that provides an independent investigative capability for the purpose of fair and impartial administration of military justice.

The CFNIS was established in 1997 with a mandate to investigate serious and sensitive matters related to the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Forces (CF). It performs a function similar to that of a Major Crime unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) or large municipal/provincial police agency. The CFNIS was created to address lessons learned through the CF's experiences in Somalia, the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and on other difficult deployed missions. The creation of the CFNIS also fulfilled recommendations made by the Special Advisory Group on Military Justice and Military Police Investigation Services, chaired by Brian Dickson, and the Report of the Military Police Services Review Group (Belzile Report) that the Military Justice System required an investigative agency that was independent of the military chain of command.

The CFNIS has maintained a presence in every major CF deployment since 1997. The CFNIS has repeatedly demonstrated the value of their independence, investigative expertise, and ability to function under the most austere conditions. The CFNIS investigated the "friendly fire" bombing of CF troops in Afghanistan. Each subsequent fatality in the operational theatre has also been investigated by the CFNIS including the death of two fellow Military Police members during an Improvised Explosive Device attack.

The CFNIS investigates serious or sensitive service and criminal offences against property, persons, and DND. It has authority and jurisdiction over persons subject to the Code of Service Discipline (CSD), wherever Canadian Forces are established or deployed throughout the world, regardless of rank or status. Civilians deployed with the military can also be subject to the Code of Service Discipline. In addition, like all members of the Canadian Forces Military Police, personnel of the CFNIS have the authority to lay criminal charges in civilian court in cases where civilians break the law on or in relation to military property.

To contribute to the maintenance of operationally ready, combat-capable forces by providing professional, timely and independent police investigative services to the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Forces and the communities they serve at home and around the world.

All personnel within the CFNIS are members of the Military Police. The members are specifically selected for these positions and typically have a broad variety of experience both in Canada and with deployed CF Missions around the world. Section 156 of the National Defence Act and section 2 of the Criminal Code define the powers of military police. Their investigative training is on par with any major police agency in Canada. They receive training at the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy (CFMPA) at CFB Borden, Ontario, through the Canadian Police College in Ottawa, Ontario, and through a variety of partnerships with domestic police agencies and military allies. The members of the CFNIS remain subject to the Military Police Code of Conduct and are subject to oversight by the Military Police Professional Standards organization and the Military Police Complaints Commission, a federal independent, quasi-judicial body, established by the Parliament of Canada.

The CFNIS Commanding Officer (CO) is a Lieutenant-Colonel, who reports directly to the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM). Regardless of the circumstance or environment, the members of the CFNIS remain under command of the CFNIS CO. The independence that results from this command relationship enables the CFNIS to conduct thorough investigations without fear of influence from any military command element.

Requests for CFNIS investigations come through regular military police organizations, but CF members and DND employees can lay complaints, or communicate directly with regional offices or individual CFNIS members. Charges, through either civilian or military courts, can follow investigation and documentation of complaints that fall within the CFNIS mandate. Investigators receive dedicated, independent advice from Regional Military Prosecutors throughout the course of their investigations. The CFNIS works in close cooperation with other military police units and civilian law enforcement agencies. Other countries with an independent military investigative capability include the United States, United Kingdom and France.