Troop 17: The Making of Mounties

Steven R. Hewitt is a graduate history student at the University of
Saskatchewan.

Troop 17 is the ultimate evidence that a book should not be judged on
the basis of its cover. It appears to be a typical coffee-table book
that would offer insight on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police the way
Sesame Street would supply detailed analysis of world affairs. This
book, however, turns out to be something completely unique. Text is
primary, although black-and-white and color photos effectively
supplement the book’s depiction of the sweat and pain endured by Troop
17, a unit of RCMP recruits who experienced the force’s six-month
basic training.

Perhaps surprisingly, the book is remarkably candid in dealing with the
entire experience. Recruits are extensively interviewed to gain their
perspective on the various training rigors, and issues of sexism,
racism, and police brutality are raised. Their instructors also offer
opinions on training strategies and specific incidents portrayed in the
book.

The contrast between the raw recruits and the process awaiting them is
strikingly presented. Reconstructing these recruits to fit the RCMP
system is the goal of the training sessions. The book is subtly critical
of the entire training experience. Many of the militaristic tasks seem
silly and obsolete, especially to those forced to perform them; those
implementing the practices seem incapable of offering any justification
other than “it worked in the past.”

This entertainingly presented book provides a dynamic portrait of an
unwieldy system that is attempting to transform individuals who are not
entirely sure they wish to be transformed.