OTTAWA—Nearly a century of parliamentary tradition is coming to an end with the RCMP poised to take control of security inside the Parliament Buildings.
The Conservative government is giving the Mounties power over what used to be an entirely independent security team patrolling the halls of the House of Commons and Senate, sources familiar with the plan say.
Members of that tight-knit Commons team, led by former sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers, were responsible for stopping a gunman’s rampage in the Centre Block last October.
The gunman made it past RCMP officers stationed on Parliament Hill on the morning of Oct. 22; the force has long had control over the parliamentary grounds, but not inside the buildings.
Ongoing reviews of security on the Hill following the attack indicate a need for more unification among security personnel.
The government says the move will make one police force accountable for protecting Parliament.
