I have covered the RCMP off and on going back to the mid-1970s but would never claim to know it well. For me, the Mounties are a very great puzzle.

It has long seemed to me that this enduring red-coated icon is more beloved by Canadians than it loves itself.

There's a curious lack of confidence, even timidity, at the core of the RCMP that seems to hold it back as an institution in the face of long-overdue reforms.

There are also elements of meanness and mistreatment of its own people, which seem to be ingrained in its paramilitary culture.

The combination — the institutionalized insecurity and the harshness — suggests a force that's fundamentally unsure of itself and its own qualities.

The commish

I thought of this again on Monday when CBC's The National revealed the bitter relations at the very top of the force, which have left it virtually dysfunctional.

Our reporting exposed an unprecedented rebellion by at least seven members of the RCMP's high command against its allegedly ill-tempered and stormy civilian commissioner, William Elliott.

The RCMP's first civilian commissioner, William Elliott, poses for a photo with members of the Musical Ride in Ottawa in April 2010. His leadership has come under question. (Adrian Wyld, Canadian Press)

These rebellious deputy and assistant commissioners took the unprecedented step in police culture of going around Elliott and the chain of command to complain directly to the government, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

They said they could no longer work with Elliott, following a series of shouting incidents, insults and even the hurling of a document at one top commander.

As I commented on The National, this is a story of significant importance for Harper, who hand-picked Elliott, the first non-Mountie to occupy the commissioner's chair.

If you remember, that came about after an official inquiry in 2007 into the management style of former commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, which concluded the RCMP was "horribly broken."

From the look of things today, nothing appears to have changed.

Accident prone

As always with the Mountie story over the past decade, nothing is a simple matter of black and white.

There have been several reports recently that have suggested the RCMP is far too demanding of its members, from the top on down, and shows far too little compassion toward its stressed-out work force.

But a reality that we Canadians should face up to is that the RCMP itself has been terribly abused by this country.

It has been consistently over-tasked as a compliant jack-of-all-trades at the beck and call of the federal government, as well as the provinces and municipalities that contract its services.

Each decade, it keeps being asked to do more. Just think of Afghanistan, where it is training that country's police; port security; counterterrorism; air marshal service; Olympic and summit security; cybercrimes — while still being the primary police force in eight provinces and three territories. (Some estimates suggest it is 5,000 members short of the number it needs.)

Small wonder it is edgy, accident prone and has an awful record of morale problems.

Mountie pride

Part of the leadership problem at the RCMP, which is now almost legendary in Ottawa, is its inability to say no to governments when they come calling with more work.

In many ways, today's RCMP resembles the almost shell-shocked Canadian Forces of the 1990s after the Somalia affair, the large budget cuts, and non-stop service abroad left it exhausted, demoralized and paranoid about covering up its mistakes.

Since then, new military leadership, new funding and the pride that goes with a single focused mission, Afghanistan, has given our armed forces a striking confidence that allows officers to be more open about failings as well as successes.

But the RCMP still seems stuck in a place where its internal pride needs reviving. Without it, the inevitable errors and hard truths will be very hard to face.

A new leader

There's a poignancy to what is going on now, because the Mounties do still have much to be proud of.

Many of their members are as good at policing as any in the world. And they're outstanding peacekeepers, the best I've seen anywhere. But that is a role for which they get little honour.

Still, I thought the special task force on the RCMP in 2007 correctly identified the psychological malaise at the dark core of its problems:

"The RCMP must learn to stand tall in its interaction with its stakeholders," meaning governments, the report said. "It must take pride in its accomplishments, and humbly accept its shortcomings. It must accept accountability."

These were good objectives for a force that was "horribly broken," as the report went on to say. Yet, just last January, Commissioner Elliott could only give the force dismal marks for reform, "a C+," in his estimation.

Despite the extraordinary grumblings we are now seeing, some progress, I hear, has been made.

But this is a massive half-military force of 28,000 and moving it forward is difficult.

Too many officers are overworked and buried under paperwork. Orders still tend to be barked out and backtalk is not appreciated. Sickness and vacancy rates are always high.

Remember, it was only two years ago that Ottawa finally decided to pay RCMP recruits for their 24 weeks at the Regina training depot.

Until then they the received no pay and had to fork out about $4,500 for school supplies and shoe polish. This reform was only rushed through when studies warned that the best recruits were going elsewhere to more accommodating police forces.

As for Elliott, it has to be said that any civilian sent in to head this bruised and self-doubting force faced a daunting task.

The job requires someone with significant motivational leadership experience, along with a mix of toughness, persuasion, tact — and a profound grasp of police culture.

The only certainty this week is a force that desperately needs a top figure to restore its pride still has not found that leader.

And because the RCMP is so much a part of this country and its history, this should concern more than Prime Minister Harper. It should concern us all.