Report calling for carbines 'significantly lacking,' firearms instructor testifies

A report recommending the RCMP immediately adopt carbines was "significantly lacking in analysis," says an RCMP firearms instructor, who admitted in a Moncton courtroom Friday that she wouldn't return the author's calls or emailsabout it.

Supt.Rhonda Blackmore, who was a member of the RCMP's emergency response team, was testifying at the police force's trial over allegations it wasn't providingmembers with adequate safety at the time three Moncton officers were killed and two others wounded inJune 2014.

Blackmore said the 2010 report by criminology professor DarrylDavies did not contain input from stakeholders or a comprehensive review of the information.

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The report was so deficient that it couldn't be corrected, she testified.

Blackmore said Davies tried to contact her several times by phone and emailaboutthe report, but she said shedidn't respond because the matter involved senior management, and shewas told not to.

Blackmore also provided a number for how many carbines were eventually issued to officers 4,000. There are 3,500 marked squad cars in the force, and 6,000 front-line officers are trained to use the weapons.

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The trial entered its final day before a two week break on Friday in Moncton.

The RCMP is charged with violating four provisions of the Labour Code relating to the shooting rampage of Justin Bourque.

Justin Bourque pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to the longest prison term in Canadian history.