I never really thought about it, but, looking them up it looks like they're basically the equivalent of the FBI(+ATF), but also sometimes are contracted for local policing by towns too small to maintain their own department? Is that accurate?

Yes, and more. They are federal police like FBI. They used to do intelligence work (like the CIA?) until the 80s where after some scandals, a new security agency was created to take over for that responsibility. Then there's some provinces that use them like the equivalent of state troopers and local small town police. It's a mess and a ball of conflicts of interest.

The FBI also does intelligence work. What's different is that in Canada the RCMP take in local policing responsibilities where there's no local resources to do so themselves.

How would you classify CSIS which is the successor to what the RCMP was doing?

CSIS is more analogous to the CIA. It's an intelligence service, not a police service.

But the US have a lot of specialized police agencies -- the RCMP is also the DEA, the Secret Service, the US Marshals... probably many more I'm forgetting or don't even know about.

ATF

Particularly given that the RCMP still exists, I don't accept your assertion that CSIS is its successor.

Wow this is like an "evolution isn't real because there's still monkeys" level of response. Try opening a book or Wikipedia or anything and having a gander.

Evolution doesn't say that humans are the "successors" to monkeys.

I grew up in Canada and read the McDonald Commission's report (well some of it), and was there when CSIS was created. Saying it's the "successor" to the RCMP is like saying Canada is the "successor" to Britain.

I decided I'll answer the question even though I don't accept the premise.

* CSIS is a civilian national intelligence service

* RCMP is a national police service

They're related because CSIS was born out of recommendations from the McDonald Commission. After the FLQ crisis, Canada understandably had a bit of a 9/11-style overreaction, and the RCMP Security Services got involved in a number of scandals stemming from overzealous and illegal activities. The RCMP Security Services were consequently abolished and their responsibilities were given to the newly formed CSIS, which was overseen by the newly formed SIRC. One could consequently reasonably say that CSIS was the successor to the RCMP Security Services.

However, it's really impractical for policing to be completely divorced from intelligence work, so much as the FBI does intelligence work despite the US having numerous civilian & military intelligence organizations, the RCMP continue to do intelligence work.

They technically have jurisdiction across the country (for federal offences) and might take on big cases (e.g. terrorism) anywhere.

Think of them as the “default” service.

In many provinces, they’re the primary police service for all towns/cities except the largest ones.

Other provinces have a provincial police service to be the default in towns/cities that don’t have their own municipal police service.

Largely, and in this case they'd likely be involved because of the latter type of jurisdiction.

Straight out of training, RCMP officers almost always get posted to remote locations. Locations that nobody with any seniority will touch.

These postings often require the new recruit to move - not just towns - but whole provinces away from their extended families. Throw in the cold, boring nature of these postings and what you get is a very bitter officer. One who is looking to pad their resume and move up the ranks and get out.

It's also common for officers to be internally disciplined in this way; The best cops get the most prestigious postings, and the worst get the opposite (just like Catholic priests).

(To be clear, I have no idea if this is true in this case - it's more of a generalization)

Not just towns -- entire provinces (BC, Alberta, and others).

Consider that the officers posted to a remote reserve like Duncan's First Nation might not be the best and brightest of the service. More Keystone Kops than Dudley Do-right. And in the worst cases, more KKK than friendly boys in red serge.