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March 13, 2014
Canadian Association of Police Governance 157 Gilmour Street, Suite 302 Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0N8 Tel: 613|235|2272 Fax: 613|235|2275 www.capg.ca
BRITISH COLUMBIA ...... 3 Disarming Vancouver police a foolish idea ...... 3 Another West Vancouver cop steps down ...... 4 ALBERTA ...... 6 SASKATCHEWAN ...... 6 Big shoes to fill ...... 6 Reinstated Tasers get first use ...... 7 Funding to Regina-based sex offender program restored for now...... 8 MANITOBA ...... 9 148 complaints filed against Manitoba police officers in 2012 ...... 9 ONTARIO ...... 10 Councillor Michael Thompson Resists Attempts to Silence his Criticism of the Police Chief 10 North Bay has 'young police service' ...... 11 Calls for police service on the rise ...... 12 Geoffrey Nelson named new chief of Brantford Police ...... 13 Toronto Police Services Board chairman wants travel expenses covered ...... 14 Toronto Police Services board in dispute over vice-chair’s lawsuit that alleges it tried to ‘silence criticism of Chief Blair’ ...... 15 Horse 'kept me safe,' says mounted police officer ...... 16 New chief 'couldn't be happier' ...... 18 Sharing a cop's family secret ...... 19 One united police board for county could be on tap ...... 24 Sunshine List: More than a third of Toronto’s police officers earned $100,000 in 2013 ...... 25 On police board, Dhun Noria balances life in the spotlight with battling breast cancer ...... 27 Tasers to be worn by all front-line Sudbury police officers ...... 29 Our police officers don’t need Tasers or guns ...... 30 QUEBEC ...... 31 NEW BRUNSWICK ...... 31 NOVA SCOTIA ...... 31 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ...... 31 NEWFOUNDLAND ...... 31 It’s official, there’s a new chief in town ...... 31 NATIONAL ...... 32 Statement from Minister Blaney on the Economics of Policing: National Policing Research Symposium ...... 32 No call for national inquiry in MPs' report on aboriginal women ...... 33 Minister Steven Blaney Honours Women in RCMP ...... 36 Advocate says victims of crime still lack suitable support ...... 37 INTERNATIONAL NEWS ...... 39 New App Lets Police Officers Know If They're Too Tired to Work ...... 39 Ombudsman backs police Taser use ...... 40 Chief Invites Public Comments on How Police Officers Do Their Jobs ...... 42 The ‘Art of the Watchdog’ ...... 43 EDITORIAL - Move To Full Civilian Oversight of Police, Too ...... 44
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
Disarming Vancouver police a foolish idea
Leo Knight 24 hours Vancouver March 11, 2014
A piece appeared in the Toronto Star recently suggesting that police should be, for the most part, disarmed. Instead, unarmed officers could call in specially trained armed teams if needed. Authored by professor and lawyer Peter Rosenthal, the article has sparked much discussion, even triggering a Facebook page called Disarm Toronto Police.
It wasn’t long before the media in Vancouver got on the bandwagon. I got several calls on Monday asking for comment on whether this idea had merit for the Vancouver Police Department.
Rosenthal’s article was based on a flawed premise.
“Overwhelmingly, the victims of police shootings are in an emotional crisis and have a weapon, usually a knife,” he wrote. “They are not ‘bad guys’; they are people who don't really want to hurt anyone.”
Well, that’s certainly true in some cases, such as when Sammy Adib Yatim was shot on a Toronto street car last summer. Part of the incident was captured by a citizen journalist, and no doubt this incident was a trigger for Rosenthal’s thinking.
But as is often the case with those who inhabit the rarefied air of academia, Rosenthal’s idea ignores the reality of what police come into contact with on a daily basis. It also exonerates the role of government in failing those with mental health issues and places the blame squarely on the shoulders of the police.
And that’s wrong.
The average police officer on patrol fields many calls during a shift. A large percentage of these are violent or potentially violent, ranging from a street fight to a domestic dispute. Any violent call can escalate from zero to 60 in a heartbeat. That’s a reality ignored by Rosenthal.
Other issues ignored by Rosenthal are gangs and guns. Monday night in downtown Vancouver, two men were shot in a targeted gang hit. If we expect police to fight gang violence, how is it reasonable to expect them to do it when their adversary is armed and they aren’t?
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The handwringers and champagne socialists can wish for a different world and try to engineer society as they see it. The real world is much different. There are bad people who inhabit it. And too often those people have guns and are prepared to use them.
To disarm police and yet expect them to do their primary job — to protect the rest of us — is foolish in the extreme. Put yourself in the place of an officer stopping a car loaded with gang-bangers. Would you want to approach that situation without a gun?
The answer is that you wouldn’t choose to be in that position. For the police, it’s their job.
View Prof. Rosenthal's article here: http://www.thestar.com/bigideas/experts/2014/02/27/disarm_most_police_officers_p eter_rosenthals_big_ideas.html
Leo Knight is a former police officer, security expert and host of primetimecrime.com. http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2014/03/11/disarming-vancouver-police-a-foolish-idea
Another West Vancouver cop steps down
Jane Sey North Shore News March 12, 2014
A third member of the West Vancouver Police Department's senior management team has left the ranks of the top brass.
Insp. Barry Nickerson reportedly packed up his office and left the department on Friday. An announcement about Nickerson's retirement went out to other members of the police department on Saturday.
Nickerson becomes the third member of the management team to either leave or announce plans to leave in the past month.
Police Chief Peter Lepine announced in February he will not be seeking a renewal of his five-year contract and will step down as soon as the police board finds a replacement. Insp. Mike Rattray's retirement, effective at the end of March, was also announced last week.
All three retirements come in the wake of an internal employee survey that pointed to widespread dissatisfaction with upper management at the department. They also come after some police officers came forward to reporters with allegations of harassment within the department.
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Lepine has said his own departure is not related to either the internal report or the harassment allegations.
West Vancouver Police Department spokesman Const. Jeff Palmer said Lepine would not be commenting on either Nickerson's or Rattray's departures.
Nickerson had been with the West Vancouver Police Department for 31 years. He was with the RC MP for seven years prior to that.
The latest departure leaves the ranks of upper managers at the police department considerably thinner. Remaining senior managers include Deputy Police Chief Jim Almas and Insp. Shane Barber.
Another long-term member of the management team, Insp. Wayne Giesbrecht, left the police department in March of 2013.
There's been no word on whether any other departures are imminent at the police department.
Last month, West Vancouver Mayor Mike Smith, who is also chair of the police board, vowed to have a new police chief in place as soon as possible.
District of West Vancouver spokesman Jeff McDonald said Smith would not comment on the latest developments.
On Feb. 26, two WorkSafeBC inspectors also went to the police department and spoke to supervisors and employees regarding the West Vancouver Police Department's harassment policy. They determined the policy is in compliance with provincial law.
Inspectors noted all employees have also recently been required to complete an online training course on harassment.
Palmer said officers in the department are continuing to serve the public, despite the public attention that's recently been focused on management problems.
"People know they have duties. They show up and are dong their job," he said. "Clearly people are concerned that there's negative reporting out in the media. There's still excellent police work being done." http://www.nsnews.com/news/another-west-vancouver-cop-steps-down- 1.894264#sthash.wIWQSoaN.CLYDHymQ.dpuf
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ALBERTA SASKATCHEWAN
Big shoes to fill
Sask Life MARCH 6, 2014
Paul Ladouceur must be ambitious. Not only will he move from Brockville, Ontario, to Estevan, to become Estevan's new police chief, but he's going to be the chief who follows Del Block.
Block's final official day of work was on February 28, capping a five-year tenure as chief and a meritorious 38-year career with the Estevan Police Service. Block's longevity occurred despite multiple battles with cancer, including a diagnosis that came shortly after he fulfilled his dream of becoming Estevan's police chief.
His diligence, work ethic and passion for policing earned him numerous accolades during his career, including a stint as the national vice-president of the Canadian Police Association.
Even though he was the chief for only five years, he's likely one of the best chiefs that Estevan ever had. Most believe he should have been the chief when he applied for the job for the first time in 2001.
This is the man that Ladouceur has to succeed. Ladouceur impressed the local police board with his outgoing demeanour, his ability to quickly answer questions and his own passion for policing. He places a strong emphasis on community, and while he's relatively young, he has an extensive background in law enforcement that stretches back more than 20 years.
The first impression has been very good.
Ladouceur faces other challenges than just replacing a local legend.
Estevan is a growing community, and while the police are better equipped and better staffed to meet those challenges than they were a few years ago, the volume of calls for service continues to increase.
The impaired driving charges and traffic infractions, particularly speeding, remain abnormally high for a city of Estevan's size. The relatively new traffic safety unit has done a good job of providing a deterrent for those who insist on exceeding the speed limit, and the unit's existence is part of the reason that speeding ticket numbers are so high.
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Impaired driving is perhaps the biggest challenge. It's not just a policing issue, it's a public safety issue, but one that doesn't have a solution. Police can be pro-active, but as long as motorists insist on driving under the influence, officers will have lots of arrests to make.
Block's crackdown on drugs met with varying success. There were several successful operations, and most drug-related categories saw a decrease in 2012, but Estevan still has problems with the drug trade and drug possession.
There is one positive: while the number of service calls was up last year, numbers were down for many categories, particularly for crimes against another person.
This is a snapshot of the situation and the community that Ladouceur enters. It won't be easy. But he seems ready for the challenge. http://www.sasklifestyles.com/article/20140306/ESTLIFESTYLES0302/140309995/- 1/ESTLIFESTYLES/big-shoes-to-fill
Reinstated Tasers get first use
Leader-Post March 12, 2014
More than one year after the Saskatchewan Police Commission reinstated the use of Tasers by municipal police, a Regina police officer deployed one of the devices on the weekend.
On Sunday at 9:15 p.m., the device, also known as a conducted energy weapon (CEW), was used on a 34-year-old man in a house in the 1300 block of Garnet Street.
According to police, the man was cutting himself with "edged weapons" and posing a danger to himself, police and others in the home. The man was taken into police custody and charged with two counts of breaching an undertaking.
On Jan. 21, 2013, the Saskatchewan Police Commission ended a five-year moratorium on Taser use by front line municipal police officers in the province. The officer who deployed the weapon is a regular patrol member as well as a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit. As such, the officer had been authorized to carry and use a Taser during regular duties since Jan. 21.
About 360 front line officers began Taser certification training in small groups on Jan. 13. http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Reinstated+Tasers+first/9607529/story.html
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Funding to Regina-based sex offender program restored for now
Barb Pacholik Leader-Post March 11, 2014
REGINA — The chair of a Regina-based group that assists released sex offenders in hopes of reducing their risk is relieved the federal government has reversed a decision to cut funding.
“It’s very good news,” Otto Driedger said Monday. He is chair of the South Saskatchewan Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA). The program, which has been lauded by police, pairs volunteers with released offenders — known as “core members” — to help them reintegrate into society, hopefully heading off future problems.
COSA programs across the country were recently told their federal funding was cut as a result of the budget. The move came under fire by the NDP and Liberals, including Regina Wascana MP Ralph Goodale.
After two days of grilling in the House of Commons, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney late last week asked Correctional Service Canada to reconsider cutting the $650,000 grant. Corrections has since agreed to restore the money but also encouraged COSA to find alternate, sustainable funding.
Blaney was in Regina Monday to speak to RCMP graduates, but a spokesman said he had no time to field questions from the Leader-Post. Rather, in an email, the spokesman simply confirmed Blaney had asked corrections to reconsider.
Driedger said the reversal is certainly welcome, but COSA may still have to curtail programs unless further money is found. In September, funding from a five-year pilot project supported by the federal National Crime Prevention Council ends. It brought COSA funding to $2.2 million nationally.
Driedger said COSA here gets some money from churches, but the group is reaching out to other levels of government in hopes of making up the shortfall. He said it’s unrealistic to expect much funding outside of government agencies.
“This is not the most popular group of people,” he said. Many of the offenders helped by COSA were at one time considered high risk, sometimes subject to public alerts. But with volunteers helping the offenders with everything from getting to treatment programs to finding a job, studies have shown the risk is reduced.
Driedger said there are currently about 15 circles operating in Regina and area, five in Saskatoon, and the program was recently expanded to Prince Albert. http://www.leaderpost.com/Funding+Regina+based+offender+program+restored/9601 566/story.html
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MANITOBA
148 complaints filed against Manitoba police officers in 2012
Winnipeg Free Press March 12, 2014
The province’s Law Enforcement Review Agency saw 148 formal complaints against police officers in 2012, down from 169 a year earlier.
The number and statistics are contained in LERA’s 2012 annual report, released today. The 148 formal complaints registered in 2012 included allegations as follows: breaches of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; making an arrest without reasonable or probable grounds; using unnecessary violence or excessive force; using oppressive or abusive conduct or language; being discourteous or uncivil; discrimination; making false statement; improperly disclosing information; damaging property or failing to report damage; and failing to provide assistance.
Complaints against police officers can be referred to a provincial judge for a hearing or by the admission of a disciplinary default by an officer. A complaint can also be resolved mediation.
Of the files opened in 2012:
94 were resolved at intake or following preliminary enquiries, three complaints were resolved through mediation, one was considered frivolous or vexatious.
Others were abandoned by the complainant or closed as there was insufficient evidence to justify referral to a hearing.
LERA does not investigate criminal matters, but provides Manitobans with an independent way to review of complaints of police misconduct.
The complete report and other information about LERA will be posted on the agency's website. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/148-complaints-filed-against-Manitoba- police-officers-in-2012-249919911.html
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ONTARIO
Councillor Michael Thompson Resists Attempts to Silence his Criticism of the Police Chief
Canada News Wire March 11, 2014
TORONTO, March 11, 2014 /CNW/ - On February 12, 2014, two members of the Toronto Police Services Board complained about Councillor Michael Thompson's comments to the Toronto Star. Councillor Thompson, who is also Vice-Chair of the Board, had criticized the Toronto Police for its strip search practices and over-spending, and said that he would not support a renewal of Chief Blair's contract.
The Board held a meeting the next day to discuss the complaint. Councillor Thompson was not given a copy of the complaint; in fact, the complaint was never put in writing as required by the Board's own policy. Councillor Thompson was not given an opportunity to respond to the complaint. Nor was Councillor Thompson even allowed to attend the meeting.
Even more Kafkaesque, the two complainants were allowed to attend the meeting and vote on their own complaint. With a quorum of four (two of whom were the complainants), the Board decided that Councillor Thompson "appears" to have "potentially" breached the Code of Conduct. The Board requested that the Ministry of the Solicitor General conduct an investigation, despite having no power to do so unless it actually "determines" that there has been a breach. The Board made no such determination.
If there was any doubt about the Board's intention, it was made clear in the last sentence of the letter that Councillor Thompson received later that day: "The Board urges you to not participate in any matters which may pertain to personnel [personal], legal or contractual issues involving the personal interest of Chief Blair, as opposed to the organizational interests of the Toronto Police Service." The Board is trying to silence criticism of Chief Blair and protect his contract renewal.
Councillor Thompson has retained Clayton Ruby and Gerald Chan to bring an application for judicial review, which seeks to quash the Board's decision and prohibit the Ministry from conducting an investigation.
Simply put, it cannot be a violation of the Code of Conduct to criticize the Chief of Police. To say that this is potentially a breach, as the Board has done, is to stifle public debate, violate free expression, and undermine the Board's own mandate of exercising vigorous civilian oversight of the Toronto Police.
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The Board also violated the most basic rules of procedural fairness by allowing the complainants to vote on their own complaints, which creates an actual conflict of interest and apprehended bias, and by refusing to give Councillor Thompson a chance to respond. http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1783951#ixzz2vqdfPTEJ
North Bay has 'young police service'
Jennifer Hamilton-Mccharles The Nugget March 11, 2014
The majority of North Bay Police Service officers have less than 10 years experience, according to Chief Paul Cook.
He said the situation in North Bay isn't any different from other cities.
“It's a trend that is happening across the province,” Cook said.
Cook said 81% of North Bay's police officers have less than a decade of experience and 71% of officers have less than 15 years under their belt.
The service has also seen two or three officers retire over the last few years.
“We have a young police service,” Cook said during Tuesday's monthly police services board meeting.
But don't jump to conclusions just yet.
Cook said officers may have less policing experience but they aren't coming into the service right out of police college.
“When I started policing 32 years ago, I was 21 years old,” Cook said.
“The average age of our police graduate now has jumped to 28 or 29 years old.”
Cook said many officers are entering the police service as a second career.
He said today's officers bring with them a diverse background such as military service, nursing and sales experience.
“They're bringing a lot of skills to the job.”
The police service will continue to emphasize the importance of training. Some of the training officers receive is provincially mandated and some is decided by senior staff.
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“We're in good shape. We have a plan in place that entails ongoing training.”
The annual police training budget is between $85,000 and $100,000.
The North Bay Police Service has 94 sworn officers. Of those, 62 are assigned specifically to patrol.
According to the police services website, applications for police constable are being accepted. http://www.nugget.ca/2014/03/11/north-bay-has-young-police-service
Calls for police service on the rise
Jennifer Hamilton-Mccharles The Nugget March 11, 2014
Calls to police are on the rise, but it's not necessarily for what you may think.
The North Bay Police Services Board heard Tuesday morning that the number of criminal offences is down, but calls for service and police activity is escalating.
The information was released in the police service's monthly statistical report.
“Eighty per cent of what we do has nothing to do with criminal activity,” said Chief Paul Cook.
He said police officers are spending time dealing with marginalized people.
This isn't the first time this issue has come up for discussion around the police board table.
It's become such a factor that the issue is included in the police's board three-year business plan is to expand the Gateway HUB pilot project.
The project involves interagency commitment and integration focusing on anti-social behaviour, marginalized people, mental health, addiction and social issues such as housing and poverty.
“Police officers have received 1,857 calls this January, compared to 1,660 calls for service in January 2013,” said Deputy Police Chief Shawn Devine.
Of those calls police responded to in January, 197 involved motor vehicle collisions and of those collisions, 17 of those accidents involved injuries.
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Criminal offences in January 2013 was 233 down by 34 from 199 for the same time this year.
But on the flip side, calls for service has jumped.
Devine highlighted that break, enter and thefts was the only area to see an increase in criminal activity for the month of January. Offences like assault, stolen vehicles, theft under $5,000, mischief, drug charges and sexual offences saw a decline.
Devine also mentioned the fact that there were charges laid in all six sexual offence cases in January.
He said police activity in January is also seeing an increase from year-over-year from 1,958 to 2,163.
“Our street crime unit is doing some great work, we would have enough work for another four officers in this unit if we had them.” http://www.nugget.ca/2014/03/11/calls-for-police-service-on-the-rise
Geoffrey Nelson named new chief of Brantford Police
CTV Kitchener March 7, 2014
The Brantford Police Services Board has selected a replacement for retiring Chief Jeff Kellner.
The board announced Friday that Deputy Chief Geoffrey Nelson will take over the city’s top policing job effective June 1.
Nelson has been policing Brantford since 1990. Beginning as a patrol officer, he worked his way up through the organization, being promoted to inspector in 2006 and deputy chief in 2011.
He lives in Brantford with his wife and two children. http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/geoffrey-nelson-named-new-chief-of-brantford-police- 1.1719257#ixzz2vqR1vcyf
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Toronto Police Services Board chairman wants travel expenses covered
Don Peat Toronto Sun March 10, 2014
TORONTO - Toronto Police Services Board chairman Alok Mukherjee wants his travel expenses covered now that he cut his car and chauffeur.
Mukherjee will ask board members on Thursday to authorize the reimbursement of his transportation expenses to and from meetings and events in Toronto and outside the city.
“I am not asking for a blank cheque,” Mukherjee told the Toronto Sun Monday.
“I do a lot of travelling both inside and out of the city on board business.”
In his request, Mukherjee said discontinuing the car lease leaves around $6,900 in funds available in the board’s budget.
Mukherjee promises to use the “most cost effective modes of travel feasible.
“This involves use of public transit wherever possible, taxis when public transit is either not feasible or available due to time and/or distance, and bus/rail/air if no other alternatives exist,” he wrote.
Eliminating the driver position saved the board around $60,000 a year in salary costs.
But Mukherjee stressed the driver, a civilian employee, wasn’t solely for driving him around. The position also involved delivering correspondence, agendas and legal papers to board members and occasionally taking other board members to meetings or events.
“The board will have to find a way to take care of all the other things the driver was doing,” he said.
If approved, Mukherjee would have to submit receipts and get the vice-chairman’s approval for reimbursement. The expenses would also be reported semi-annually in the board’s public agendas. http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/10/toronto-police-services-board-chairman- wants-travel-expenses-covered
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Toronto Police Services board in dispute over vice-chair’s lawsuit that alleges it tried to ‘silence criticism of Chief Blair’
Natalie Alcoba The National Post March 11, 2014
The vice-chairman of the Toronto police services board is taking the civilian oversight body to court over what his lawyer says is an attempt to “silence” criticism of Chief Bill Blair.
Councillor Michael Thompson has retained high-profile litigator Clayton Ruby and partner Gerald Chan to quash a finding by the board that he may have breached code of conduct rules by speaking out about the chief. The board asked a provincial ministry to investigate, which Mr. Thompson is also seeking to throw out.
The dispute centres around an article published in the Toronto Star last month in which the Scarborough councillor called for a “complete shakeup” of the police service and said he would not support renewing Chief Blair’s contract. He was also critical of Toronto police officers conducting strip searches in one-third of all arrests over most of last year and an internal review by the chief that did not produce desired savings.
Two board members, Dr. Dhun Noria and Marie Moliner, complained to board chairman Alok Mukherjee about the remarks, according to a notice of application for judicial review filed by Mr. Ruby in Ontario Superior Court. The board met to discuss the matter on Feb. 13, but Mr. Thompson was asked by the board’s legal counsel not to attend, his lawyer contends. Mr. Mukherjee, who was also quoted in the Star article, did not attend. Among the rules considered by the board is a requirement that board members not “discredit” or “compromise the integrity” of the board or police force.
“Even more Kafkaesque, the two complainants were allowed to attend the meeting and vote on their own complaint,” Mr. Ruby stated in a press release. Board members Mike Del Grande, a city councillor, and Andy Pringle, also participated in the meeting, court documents state.
A letter from the board to the councillor “urges you to not participate in any matters which may pertain to personnel (personal), legal or contractual issues involving the personal interest of Chief Blair, as opposed to the organizational interests of the Toronto Police Service.”
That would effectively sideline Mr. Thompson during contract renewal talks, said Mr. Ruby.
“The board is trying to silence criticism of Chief Blair and protect his contract renewal,” said Mr. Ruby. He accused it of trying to “stifle public debate, violate free expression
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Horse 'kept me safe,' says mounted police officer
CBC News March 10, 2014
Constable Tim Pedersen says that King, one of the two horses in the Waterloo Regional Police Service's mounted patrol unit, has kept him safe on job and he'll miss the horse when the unit is disbanded on April 1.
Pedersen is one of the officers who regularly patrol on horseback, a job that he says fulfills his "childhood dream of being a police officer on a horse, like the old Lone Ranger."
The two-horse unit, that also includes police horse Watson, is being temporarily discontinued on April 1, a move that will save the police force $27,000 a year. The police services board and the police force will make a joint decision on the retirement of the horses later this year.
Pedersen recalled an incident when the unit was on patrol in Kitchener across from Kitchener city hall when they came across a deeply troubled man.
"We encountered a male who was showing some signs of suicidal behaviour and tried to initiate a suicide by cop, what we call screaming at us to shoot him and then tried to instigate a fight by trying to drag me off the horse," said Pedersen.
"He would try and punch me and the horse would end up getting hit instead. And then the male would feel bad, actually feel bad for the horse and you'd hear him in between the screaming say, "sorry" and kiss the horse."
Pedersen says because King was trained to deal with these kinds of situations and was able to diffuse the situation.
"He was able to physically control this person for me, save me from getting hurt, save that male from getting hurt because then I didn't have to escalate in the use of force and all the while the male felt bad for what he was doing because horses just have that effect on people," said Pedersen.
King is "hot-blooded" while Watson is "very tolerant"
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Pedersen got involved with the mounted unit project in fall of 2009, and the first horse patrols hit the street in 2010.
"When we started it was a bizarre feeling to have people smile and wave because when you're in a cruiser or in a uniform in general, that's not your general reception," said Pedersen of his initial patrols on horseback.
"To feel warmly received as a police officer is kind of a rare feeling."
The unit's two horses both came from Ontario homes. King came from a home near Erin and is a Percheron-Thoroughbred cross, a mix that Pedersen says makes him "perfect" for police work.
Watson came from a home near London, and he was found with a little help from online listings.
"We found him on Kijiji, and everybody kind of I think assumes that we spent an exorbitant amount of money on the horses, and to be honest the boots for the unit cost more than it cost to purchase the horses," said Pedersen.
Watson is a "natural-born police horse" according to Pedersen.
"The horse naturally is an apprehensive and skeptical creature that deals with everything through that filter and this horse is much less likely to do that," he said.
"This horse is pretty tolerant of things, almost a little bit, well a lot a bit pushy, more willing to stand up and defend himself."
King, on the other had is more sensitive, and a lot more "hot-blooded," according to Pedersen.
"His kind of strength was that he's very, very obedient, through his sensitivity. He will do what he's told and try real hard. A horse like Watson, who's like I say, very very tolerant, it's harder to motivate him to do anything because he really isn't concerned about too much."
Pedersen says he'll miss the horses when the unit is disbanded, and King in particular.
"I've spent more time with this horse for four years than I did my own family, really," he said. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/horse-kept-me-safe-says- mounted-police-officer-1.2566443
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New chief 'couldn't be happier'
Natalie Paddon Brant News March 10, 2014
Deputy Chief Geoffrey Nelson couldn’t be more excited by his recent appointment as Chief of the Brantford Police Service.
"This is my community. I live here, my wife works here, my children were born and raised here," Nelson, who has held the position of deputy chief since 2011, said. "I really couldn’t be happier."
Nelson, who will take up the position on June 1, replaces Chief Jeff Kellner. Kellner will retire from the Brantford Police Service on May 31.
After joining the Brantford Police Service’s patrol section in 1990, Nelson was promoted to the rank of sergeant in the criminal investigation section. In 2005, he was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in the operations branch, and in 2006 was promoted to the rank of inspector. As inspector, he held assignments as the officer in charge of the executive branch and administration branch.
Having spent his whole career working for the Brantford Police Service makes Nelson's new role even more special for him.
"I know how great the people are who are working in the police service," he said, noting how hard everyone in the department works. "That’s what instills me with pride."
Nelson also acknowledged how hard everyone in the community works to ensure Brantford's safety.
As he transitions into the role of chief, Nelson's number one priority will be frontline community patrol, something the service has been focusing on for some time now.
"It’s very important to me that (front line officers) have the tools they need to be able to be effective," he said.
Addiction and mental health are two other areas he plans to focus on.
Nelson is a member of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. He is a graduate of the police leadership program at the University of Toronto and is actively involved in community organizations, including Special Olympics and the DARE program.
Jerry Blue, Special Olympics Brantford's community co-ordinator, called Nelson a "class act."
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"There aren’t even words to describe that guy," he said. "The guy is unbelievable."
Nelson joined the Special Olympics board as their media and public relations representative more than a year ago, and he got the organization up and running on Twitter, Blue said.
No matter what they need him for, whether helping to get athletes ready to compete or timekeeping at a swim meet, Nelson is always willing to do whatever he can, Blue said.
"He’s the easiest guy in the world to deal with," he said.
When Nelson began his career with the Brantford Police Service, becoming the Chief of Police one day was not on the forefront of his mind.
"I've always just taken things one step at a time in my career," he said. "I’ve just enjoyed every step of the process."
Over the weekend Nelson said he reminisced with friends about his start with the Brantford Police Service. He had memories of the training sergeant opening a big, steel cage and tossing uniforms at him to try on at the old station on Greenwich Street.
"It didn’t matter to me if it didn’t fit. It didn’t matter to me if it was used. I was just so grateful to have the opportunity to be a police officer here in Brantford," Nelson said. "That has never left. I’m even more proud today than I was back then." http://www.brantnews.com/news-story/4405956-new-chief-couldn-t-be-happier-/
Sharing a cop's family secret
Ron Corbett Ottawa Sun March 08, 2014
Mike Maloney is a cop.
One of the most senior in the Ottawa Police Service, a duty inspector, the person who gets summoned to oversee any high-risk incident or call whenever he is on shift.
He's been a cop for 26 years -- a patrol cop, a detective, a swat team leader, now duty inspector -- he loves being a boots-on-the-ground police officer.
Maybe that explains why he kept his secret for so long. Cops are supposed to be detached professionals. People above the fray.
But this story, well, it's messy. And Maloney is anything but above the fray.
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"This is not the sort of story you run around telling, whether you're a cop or not," he says, meeting me at a downtown restaurant and quickly reaching inside his jacket to pull out a 3-by-5 gloss photo.
"I've thought about telling this story for years, but never felt comfortable about it," he continues. "Domestic violence is just too important an issue, though, and if I can help in any sort of way, well, maybe I should."
His voice inflects up on this last part. Turns it into a question. "Maybe I should?"
He is still unsure. Even at this stage.
But he goes ahead. A good cop who has made a decision and so he is resolute.
"That's my mother. Bernice Maloney," he says, tapping the world-war-two era photo on the table between us. "She did time in the Kingston Women's Pen for killing her boyfriend."
* * *
Mike Maloney's story -- what happened to him, his mother and his brothers and sisters many years ago -- is a tale you could easily find in a Dickens novel.
A story none of the Maloney children have talked about until now. Family secrets. They are a big part of domestic violence.
"No one in the family talked about this for years," says Maloney. "Why would you? It's not the sort of thing you want to remember. It's the sort of thing you want to pretend never happened."
Maloney was one of the first four cops assigned back in 1993 to what is now called the Partner Assault Unit (the unit now has 25 members) so he knows all about denial and secrets.
He also knows that despite two decades of public awareness campaigns, the statistics on domestic violence in Ottawa remain troubling.
Between 2009 and 2013 the Partner Assault Unit filed 22,729 incident reports. They investigated everything from assault to criminal harassment, destruction of property to new-age crimes like cyber bullying.
There were peaks and valleys to how those calls come in (the run up to Christmas is always brutal) but the annual tally over this five-year period was always in the range of 4,500 calls.
So, no statistical trend. Almost static. Every year Ottawa police respond to as many domestic calls as there are people in Almonte.
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* * *
Bernice Muriel Maloney was born in 1925, was married by 16 and by the age of 30 had ten children. She would go on to have 14.
"Typical Irish Catholic family," says Patricia Maloney, the third eldest child. "All those children, my father working all the time, I don't know many mothers who could have handled it well, and it just overwhelmed my mom."
Overwhelmed, stressed -- a lot of words were used back in the '50s and '60s to describe a woman struggling with mental health problems. Bernice Maloney would be in and out of hospitals for years, shock therapy part of her treatment on many occasions.
Mike Maloney was born during a particularly low point for the family. Eight months after his birth Maloney's father asked a family member to look after the baby for a "short spell."
The short spell would become the rest of Maloney's childhood. He has only fleeting memories of his mother and father.
It didn't help that his father died when Maloney was still a young boy, or that things went from bad to worse for his mother after that.
"It was tragic to watch what happened to my mom," says Patricia Maloney. "She was totally lost when dad died. She lost the house; the older children had to move out, the younger ones were taken away from her and placed in foster care.
"Within two years of dad's death my mother was living in a rooming house in downtown St. John."
It was at this rooming house that Bernice Maloney met an unemployed dockworker named Bernard Smith.
* * *
Try to imagine the next scene. Every story of domestic violence has one.
It is a scene that foreshadows what is to come, every one of your senses conspiring later in life so you never forget it. How the room smelled. The colour of the furniture. You remember everything.
So imagine Christmas Eve and the Maloney children have gathered for the first time in three years. The celebration is at Patricia's home. She has invited their mother, who arrives drunk, with a man she introduces as "Smitty."
Smitty is drunker. He stumbles into furniture. Swears and insults Bernice Maloney, who is eventually taken into the kitchen and asked if she wants Smitty to leave.
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"No," she says, not seeming to understand the question.
"Mom, he's drunk, he's rude and he's insulting you. The kids are frightened of him. He can't stay."
Smitty doesn't leave quietly. He takes a few swings at the Maloney brothers when they hustle him out the door.
And there he stands. On the front stoop of Patricia Maloney's new home. The biggest snowstorm of the season swirling behind him, stumbling and yelling through the open door -- "Are you f"¦in' comin' woman!"
Bernice Maloney stands on the other side of the door, clutching a bag of Christmas presents she is now unsure what to do with. She eventually drops the bag and walks out the door.
As she passes her daughter she whispers:
"I have to go. I need him."
It is the last time any of the Maloney children will see their mother before she is charged with murder.
* * *
The ill-starred relationship of Bernice Maloney and Bernard Smith ended after a drunken Russian roulette game played in a St. John, New Brunswick rooming house in the early morning hours of March 13, 1970.
It was Smitty's idea. Smitty's gun. Smitty the first player. He pushed the muzzle against Bernice Maloney's head and pulled the trigger.
He passed out after that but the empty-chamber click of the gun must have done something to Bernice Maloney. She snapped. Or maybe she was roused to protect herself. There will be different schools of thought on this.
What is beyond dispute is that she picked up the gun and shot Smith where he slept. Then she put down the gun and waited for police to arrive.
Bernice Maloney was charged with non-capital murder and pled guilty to manslaughter. The judge who sentenced her said he "appreciated the conditions under which you have been living these past few years," but still sentenced her to seven years in a federal penitentiary.
It was while at the Kinston Women's Penitentiary that the strangest thing happened to Bernice Maloney. I'll let her daughter tell the rest of the story.
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"For many years I was bitter about what happened to my mother," says Patricia Maloney. "But recently it dawned on me that my mom lived three lives. There was the life she had with my dad, then the life after that, with Smitty, and then there was the life she had when she got out of prison.
"And those last years, I'm here to tell you, they were by far the best. Prison saved my mom."
* * *
In was while in prison that Bernice Maloney finally received the therapy and treatment she had needed her entire adult life. She was also freed, again for the first time, from the constant pressure and stress of just trying to survive in this world.
It healed her. Bernice Maloney would spend the rest of her life as a doting grandmother and church volunteer. She never again was hungry, homeless or beaten.
"With proper intervention and the proper support systems in place, any victim of domestic violence can break free," says Maloney. "No situation is hopeless. A lot of women may feel that way -- and let's be honest, domestic violence is almost always a crime against women -- but it's not true."
He reaches across the table and takes back the photo, tucking it carefully into a small manila envelope. It is one of the few photos he has of his mother and father.
Maloney says some strange things have been happening recently, and that is why he is finally telling his family story. Things are connecting up. Giving him pause.
He met Megan Paterson recently, a young woman he and his swat team rescued ten years ago after an ex-boyfriend shot her, and he swears his mother was in the room.
"I'm beginning to realize I have a unique perspective on all this," he says, putting on his coat and getting ready to leave. "I guess that's why I finally told the story. If it helps even one person get help, then it was worth it.
"Get help now. Don't wait until it's too late. That's what I hope people take away from my mother's story." http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/03/08/sharing-a-cops-family-secret
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One united police board for county could be on tap
Desmond Devoy InsideOttawaValley.com March 07, 2014
Could new reforms at the OPP mean one united police services board (PSB) for all of Lanark County?
George Braithwaite, a member of Lanark Highlands’ police services board (PSB), and the county association of PSB’s representative to the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards, thinks it is certainly a possibility.
“It is at least an open question, if we will even have PSBs going forward,” said Braithwaite. This was during a presentation at the county PSB association’s quarterly meeting at the Tay Valley Township municipal offices in Glen Tay on Wednesday, March 5.
With one PSB per detachment, “you can easily imagine why that may become a potential solution to police oversight in Ontario,” though he cautioned “that kind of a project will not come to fruition any time soon.”
For Montague Township Reeve Bill Dobson, the former warden of Lanark County, he urged that the county PSB association “have a short discussion and put all of the pros and cons together,” for having a united board across the county. “There may be savings,” Dobson said. “I would like to see a discussion about that,” adding that he understood that not everyone may be in favour of it.
One project that will likely come to fruition a lot sooner is billing reform for police costs.
“We are now faced with the implementation of a new billing model,” said Braithwaite. “This will be implemented in due course.”
The draft billing model would likely see urban areas – like Carleton Place and Perth – pay less for their policing, while rural areas – like Mississippi Mills, Tay Valley and Lanark Highlands townships – likely paying significantly more.
“Some (municipalities) would like to see it (implemented) yesterday, especially those who would see an immediate reduction in costs,” said Braithwaite. “On the other side of the street, (some municipalities) want it drawn out as long as possible. I see that there is very little difference. If you can’t find it (the necessary additional money), you can’t find it, if the transition is one year, or 20 years. Hopefully there will be some assistance,” for municipalities who are looking at a significant hike in policing costs.
With OPP staffers looking at more than an eight per cent pay raise this year, Braithwaite charged that “while billing reform has rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic, it hasn’t dealt with the fundamental costs of policing.”
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Some of the rising costs he attributed to the arbitration process, which usually results, by his estimation, in a raise of some kind for the police.
“(We need) more efficient approaches to policing,” said Braithwaite. “Can we afford perfection? There will have to be some hard decisions going forward.”
For Dobson, however, recently returned from the Good Roads conference, he had heard through the grapevine that the draft OPP funding model “will not be that model. There is definitely going to be a different (model) and they think it will be in everybody’s favour,” said Dobson.
“I guess feedback has changed their minds,” said Braithwaite.
Grant Chaplin, chair of the Mississippi Mills Community Policing Advisory Council (CPAC), noted about police funding that “we have no idea what will happen in 2015,” and that they had reverted from a PSB format to a CPAC format to save $325,000 a year, money that will be banked in reserves “until we find out what happens in 2015,” Chaplin said. http://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/4402281-one-united-police-board-for- county-could-be-on-tap/
Sunshine List: More than a third of Toronto’s police officers earned $100,000 in 2013
Jennifer Pagliaro The Star Mar 07 2014
Nearly 40 per cent of all members of the Toronto police earned more than $100,000 in 2013.
The public salary disclosure numbers released in the latest Toronto Police Services Board agenda show 2,983 employees made this year’s “Sunshine List” — a small drop from 2012’s total of 3,181 employees earning six figures.
Councillor Adam Vaughan blamed Mayor Rob Ford for wage hikes that continued into 2014, thanks to a contract deal reached in 2011 for four years.
“He literally capitulated and gave them the richest contract that’s ever been handed out in the history of the city. So when we do that, people earning $89- $90,000 (are) suddenly earning over $100,000 very quickly,” Vaughan said. “We told everyone that’s what would happen, but everyone was so enamored by his reputation as fighting the gravy train they didn’t realize that he’d put every police officer in the city in that gravy
25 train and driven it straight through police headquarters and straight through our budget process.”
Since 2011, the force and Chief Bill Blair in particular have come under fire from the mayor and Councillor Doug Ford, who have demanded to know how much the Project Brazen 2 investigation of the mayor and associates cost taxpayers.
At a press conference Friday, Ford singled out police spokesperson Mark Pugash, the fifth highest paid civilian on the force, when asked about the list.
“I support the frontline officers. You know, when you look at Mr. Pugash making $178,000 as a communications director, that’s pretty shocking,” Ford said. “But I support our frontline officers; they work hard, they deserve the money.”
But a 3.1 per cent hike in the 2014 police budget, which includes a plan to hire new officers even as crime falls, went unchallenged by the Ford brothers and much of council in January.
About three-quarters of the people on the Sunshine List had a base salary of more than $100,000. The other quarter made the cut because of extra income from overtime or payouts for vacation they didn’t take.
When asked about the pay cut, board chair Alok Mukherjee said he could not discuss employment matters between the board and its members.
Base salaries have increased each year as a result of a 2011 contract that allowed for a more than 11 per cent increase over four years. That contract expires at the end of this year.
Anyone ranking higher than a constable automatically now earns a base of at least $100,000, according to the latest board report. In 2013, police constables made $88,844 to $96,846, according to that report.
Salary numbers for police officers do not include paid duty — when officers work extra shifts at construction sites, film shoots or other events — meaning some officers currently sitting just below the $100,000 mark on the list may actually be earning as much as their six-figure colleagues.
Salaries are determined by collective agreement with the police union, and the force has no say in wage increases, Pugash said.
He said there could be several explanations for the slight decrease in Sunshine earners, including the fact that last year there was a spike in people receiving back pay and a decrease in total member numbers through attrition. The force has been under a hiring freeze since 2011.
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“We are down several hundred people,” Pugash said of the 7,700-strong outfit, which includes more than 5,000 officers. Senior officers were also cut by 10 per cent last year and not replaced, Pugash said.
Mukherjee and vice-chair Michael Thompson were away on business or not able to comment on the new numbers Friday.
The police board will discuss the new list at its meeting on March 13. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/03/07/sunshine_list_more_than_a_third_of_t orontos_police_officers_earned_100000_in_2013.html
On police board, Dhun Noria balances life in the spotlight with battling breast cancer
Ajit Jain The Globe And Mail March 09 2014
Dhun Noria, a two-time breast-cancer survivor, is described as a tireless fundraiser and advocate for patients, on top of having her own medical practice and sitting on the city’s Police Services Board.
Dr. Noria, who often does not speak out about her work with the board, has been recently forced into the spotlight as the board grapples with allegations that it’s too closely aligned with Chief Bill Blair, compromising its ability to act at arm’s-length.
Dr. Noria said such allegations have no merit. “We are constantly questioning, challenging and holding the chief responsible and accountable to run the service efficiently and effectively.”
When asked about Dr. Noria‘s contribution, Chief Blair said: “Dr. Noria never misses our events relating to the cancer survivors whom we support by organizing fundraising events. … Besides being generous with her own money and beyond, she regularly talks about her own experience of fighting the cancer.”
To Dr. Bill Bell, President of the University Health Network, Dr. Noria is the type of individual “who gives, gives and gives. She’s a fighter.” Dr. Noria sits on the UHN board.
When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994, Dr. Noria said her radiologist colleague “was in tears when he gave me the news.” Her cancer came back in 2003. Despite mastectomy, breast reconstruction, lumpectomy, radiation therapy, tamoxifen and chemotherapy, Dr. Noria said she never slackened the pace of her medical work as a surgical pathologist, helping patients as chair of Shared Hospital Lab. The lab provides
27 microbiology services to patients of three hospitals – North York General Hospital, Toronto East General Hospital and the Scarborough Hospital.
“I would go for my chemotherapy on Fridays and would show up early morning Monday at the hospital. I never faulted in my commitment to patients,” she said.
Dr. Noria is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scarborough Hospital in May – she’s only the second person in the Scarborough Hospital history to receive such an award. (She and her husband, businessman Farokh Noria, are also being honoured in March for their $1-million donation to the hospital for cancer care.)
In an interview conducted before Chief Blair’s announcement that the OPP was taking over the investigation into Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, Dr. Noria talked about the Police Services Board and her many other roles:
The Ford brothers are accusing the chief of having a political agenda. What are your thoughts on this?
Chief Blair is a man of great honour, integrity and is highly respected by his peers. I don’t believe he has any political agenda. He is just doing the best job he can.
If the chief were to ask for a third term, would you and the board support it?
His term goes to April, 2015. We will cross this bridge when we get to it.
Do you support an increase in the police budget? [According to a recent operational review commissioned by Chief Blair, the force needs more than 170 new officers.] Or through increasing use of technology, are you [and the board] in favour of saving some money?
No, I don’t support an increase in the police budget at the present time. This is a fiscally responsible board and together with the chief and services, we are looking at every opportunity including use of modern technology, outsourcing, collaborating back-office functions with city hall – in fact re-engineering and looking at all aspects to lower the spiralling cost of policing. There are no sacred cows.
How did you continue your work while battling cancer?
I never allowed any setbacks in my personal health to get me down. I am an optimistic person who believes that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I cope by always looking forward to doing good things and working hard and smart. I live and work and cope by minimizing my troubles.
Regarding the Lifetime Achievement Award – it is not the awards that I cherish; it is my relationship with the community and individuals that I cherish.
Now you are completely cured?
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As an eternal optimist, I would like to believe that I am completely cured. In May of this year it will be exactly 20 years since my first diagnosis of breast cancer. I did have cancer come back in 2003. Following surgeries and chemotherapy, I have beaten the recurrence, too.
Tell me about your work at Scarborough Hospital.
The Scarborough Hospital has two divisions – Scarborough Grace and the Scarborough General. We always face the challenge of delivering the best care most economically, to an ever-changing demography. Currently our hospital is in merger talks with Rouge Valley Hospital. Our goal is to deliver services more efficiently to residents of Scarborough.
Any final thoughts on your health issue?
I share my personal story of being a two-time breast-cancer survivor widely with Canadians. I proclaim loudly: “One shouldn’t have to suffer or die from this disease.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/on-police-board-dhun-noria-balances- life-in-the-spotlight-with-battling-breast-cancer/article17391031/
Tasers to be worn by all front-line Sudbury police officers
CBC News March 06, 2014
By this time next year, Sudbury police expect all of their officers will be carrying a Taser when they head out on the streets, now that the police services board has given it the go-ahead.
Right now, the Sudbury police service owns 30 "conducted energy weapons," also know by the manufacturer name Taser.
The stun guns are currently used by the tactical unit and certain other officers, but the force now plans to buy 45 more so every front-line officer has one when heading out on patrol.
At the police services board meeting Wednesday night, Acting Police Chief Dan Markiewich said the weapon gives officers another option in dangerous situations.
"There are only certain circumstances that the officers will be able to deploy [the Taser]. And that will be when the behaviour that the officer witnesses is an assaultive behaviour,” he said.
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"We were looking at the safety of the community. We were looking at the safety of the individual we were dealing with. And of course, the safety of our officers [is] also paramount."
Sudbury police officers already carry batons, pepper spray and a gun.
The province is allowing frontline officers to carry Tasers, but isn't kicking in any money to pay for them.
Equipping all officers with their own Taser would run close to half a million dollars.
Sudbury Police looked at getting private donations to cover the bill, but Markiewich said they opted for the cheaper $139,000 plan where the Tasers are shared.
"Of course, we have to be fiscally responsible to the community,” he said.
All frontline officers will now be trained to use the Taser, but those who have already done the course, may start carrying them in the next few months.
Markiewich said the force should be fully equipped by this time next year. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/tasers-to-be-worn-by-all-front-line-sudbury- police-officers-1.2562058
Our police officers don’t need Tasers or guns
Gerry Reynolds Newmarket Era Mar 06, 2014
Re: York officers don’t need Tasers, letter to the editor by Paul Stevens, Feb. 27.
Mr. Stevens has mirrored my thoughts.
We will now have police armed with Tasers and guns. What in the world are we coming to?
If I had my way, I would take away their guns, too.
The police in Canada don’t have to be armed. They are not armed in the U.K. Instead, they have special units that are called in when necessary to deal with dangerous confrontations.
These men are well trained in the discharge of firearms.
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Does anyone realize most police officers in Canada never pull their firearms during their career?
I nearly cried when I saw the latest budget figure for York Regional Police — $300 million to maintain 1,600 police officers to in some of the best working conditions of any job.
Gerry Reynolds http://www.yorkregion.com/opinion-story/4399202-our-police-officers-don-t-need- tasers-or-guns/
QUEBEC NEW BRUNSWICK NOVA SCOTIA PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
NEWFOUNDLAND
It’s official, there’s a new chief in town
The Telegram March 11, 2014
Chief William Janes was officially sworn in today as the 21st Chief of Police of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.
The swearing-in ceremony was presided over by Chief Justice David Osborne at Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court in St. John's. http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2014-03-11/article- 3644538/It%26rsquo%3Bs-official%2C-there%26rsquo%3Bs-a-new-chief-in-town/1
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NATIONAL
Statement from Minister Blaney on the Economics of Policing: National Policing Research Symposium
Marketwired March 7, 2014
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 7, 2014) - The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today issued the following statement to mark the conclusion of the National Policing Research Symposium, co- hosted by Public Safety Canada and Simon Fraser University, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Symposium was part of the Economics of Policing initiative.
"Our Government remains committed to the safety and security of Canadians. That is why Public Safety Canada, along with provincial and territorial Governments, municipal representatives, police services and policing associations, academics and other stakeholders have partnered on the Economics of Policing - a collaborative initiative to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Canada's high-performing policing services.
Research is one of our priorities as we work to transform and strengthen policing in Canada. Over the past three days, law enforcement leaders, frontline police officers, Canadian and international academics, federal, provincial and territorial government officials and other partners discussed the creation of a national policing research network. The purpose of such a network would be to provide leadership and coordination, expand and promote policing research, and contribute to improved policing and public safety in Canada.
Symposium participants also identified and prioritized key areas that require research. A national research agenda will help guide future research and ensure that evidence- based research is available to inform and influence the future of policing in Canada.
In November 2013, Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety approved the Economics of Policing - Shared Forward Agenda for policing and public safety in Canada. The Agenda was the result of consultations with many key stakeholders and partners and will guide future activities. The National Policing Research Symposium that took place this week was one of several collaborative activities underway as part of the Shared Forward Agenda initiative."
Follow Public Safety Canada (@Safety_Canada) on Twitter.
Jason Tamming Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
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613-991-2924
Media Relations Public Safety Canada 613-991-0657 [email protected] http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1779345#ixzz2vqRMgvB5
No call for national inquiry in MPs' report on aboriginal women
Susana Mas CBC News March 07, 2014
A long-awaited report from MPs on the Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women tabled Friday makes 16 recommendations, but does not call on the federal government to launch a public inquiry.
The report, titled "Invisible Women: A Call To Action," fell short of demands by aboriginal groups and opposition parties who have been relentless in their call for a national inquiry.
The New Democrats and federal Liberals tabled dissenting opinions alongside the final report calling on the federal government to launch a national inquiry and implement a national action plan to address the violence against indigenous women and girls.
The Assembly of First Nations said the report was "disappointing" to the victims and families of missing and murdered women and girls.
"I have spoken to the leadership of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, the Métis National Council and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and we will be meeting Monday to discuss next steps and set out a plan to get action on this critical matter," said Shawn Atleo, the national chief for the AFN in a written statement on Friday.
"This report fails to show the needed commitment and resources to adequately address this ongoing tragedy — a tragedy that is a reflection on Canada as a whole,” said NWAC president, Michèle Audette.
After months of hearing 61 witnesses testify, the report's 16 recommendations include:
The creation of a public awareness and prevention campaign created by the federal government in conjunction with the provinces, territories and municipalities. The implementation of a national DNA-based missing person's index. The possibility of collecting police data on violence against aboriginal women and girls that includes an ethnicity variable.
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The final report proposes that the federal government implement all of the recommendations "in a co-ordinated action plan."
Partisan messaging?
"I believe that this report will go further to take action," said Conservative MP Stella Ambler, the chair of the special committee, moments before the report was tabled.
But opposition party MPs who served as vice-chairs on the special commons committee said the recommendations are either not new or would do nothing to prevent or stop violence against indigenous women and girls.
"We heard very clearly from women and men, family members and friends of murdered and missing aboriginal women that the status quo is not good enough," said Jean Crowder, the aboriginal affairs critic for the NDP and vice-chair of the special committee.
"What we saw today in the House of Commons was a report tabled by the Conservatives that basically said the status quo is OK."
The special committee was first struck by way of a unanimous motion which was introduced by Liberal aboriginal affairs critic Carolyn Bennett last February.
Bennett, who also served as a vice-chair on the committee, said the final report does not accurately reflect the recommendations made by the witnesses who appeared before the MPs.
"Those were replaced by a disappointing list of what aren't even recommendations," Bennett said adding that "the number one thing they wanted to have happen was a national public inquiry."
Bennett asked Ambler during question period earlier today whether she believed "the report actually reflects the testimony of witnesses" or whether "it was improperly influenced by the six Conservative parliamentary secretaries on the committee taking orders from the Prime Minister's Office."
Ambler did not answer the question saying only the report would outline "all of the actions that have been taken and all the actions that can be taken."
Mounting pressure
The government appears to be increasingly at odds with a growing number of groups that have been calling for a national public inquiry.
The most recent calls have come from Nova Scotia's three main party leaders following the slaying of Loretta Saunders. The 26-year-old Inuk woman from Labrador was studying at Saint Mary's University in Halifax when she vanished last month.
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Her body was later found alongside a highway in New Brunswick, and a man and woman are facing murder charges in the death. Saunders was an honours student, who was writing her thesis on murdered and missing aboriginal women.
Her cousin, Holly Jarrett, has since garnered more than 60,000 signatures on a petition calling for a national inquiry.
The special committee heard testimony from the government's own federally appointed victims ombudsman Sue O'Sullivan who said on Jan. 30 she supported the creation of a national commission of inquiry and a related action plan.
James Anaya, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, who visited Canada last October, called on the federal government to launch a "comprehensive and nationwide" inquiry into the case of missing and murdered aboriginal women.
Conservative MP Ryan Leef pledged to his constituents in Yukon last October to support a national public inquiry, but only if the provinces played a role.
The premiers also backed a call to launch a national public inquiry when they met for a two-day summit of the Council of the Federation last July.
Despite mounting pressure for an inquiry Conservative cabinet ministers — from Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt to the Minister of Status for Women Kellie Leitch and Justice Minister Peter MacKay — have repeatedly pointed to several anti- crime initiatives passed into law since 2006 as evidence the government has and continues to take action to address the issue of violence against women.
MacKay tabled dozens of documents earlier on Friday including studies on violence against aboriginal women and girls dating back to the 1990s. He also apologized for throwing papers on the House floor after an earlier attempt to table those documents on Thursday.
Leitch issued a statement after the report was tabled saying that ending violence against all women and girls "remains a priority" for the government.
"We remain concerned about the high number of missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada and the devastating impact these tragedies have on families and communities across our country."
The government has 120 days to respond to the report released Friday. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/no-call-for-national-inquiry-in-mps-report-on- aboriginal-women-1.2563854?cmp=rss
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Minister Steven Blaney Honours Women in RCMP
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 6, 2014) - Public Safety Canada
The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Roxanne James, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today spoke at an event held by Women in Defence and Security Canada (WiDS) to honour the memory of a fallen female RCMP officer and to present the 2014 WiDS Memorial Scholarship award.
The WiDS Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually with a goal of encouraging women to pursue careers related to national security and defence in Canada. Each year, the scholarship honours the memory of women who fell in the line of duty.
This year, the WiDS Memorial Scholarship is honouring the memory of RCMP Constable Della Beyak, who was the first female RCMP officer killed while on duty 25 years ago. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of women first joining the RCMP as regular members.
Quick Facts
Women now make up over 20 percent of the regular member RCMP population.
Women in Defence and Security Canada (WiDS) is a not-for-profit organization, whose mandate is to promote the advancement of women leaders in defence and security professions across Canada.
This is the first time a member of the law enforcement community has been honoured by the WiDS Memorial Scholarship, since its inception in 2006.
Quotes
"It is fitting that Women in Defense and Security Canada is paying tribute to a member of law enforcement in this way - particularly as 2014 marks forty years of women proudly serving as members in the RCMP. There is no question about the important contributions and progress that women have been making as Mounties over the past four decades. This scholarship sends a strong message that encourages women to pursue careers related to national security and defence. We will continue to raise awareness of their hard work and dedication to keeping our communities safe."
The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
"Public Safety Canada is proud to be involved with Women in Defense and Security Canada. We are grateful for their dedication to promoting the role of women as leaders in the defence and security fields - exactly where we want and need them."
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Roxanne James, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Associated Links
- WiDS Memorial Scholarship
- WiDS News Release
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For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.
Jason Tamming Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness 613-991-2924
Media Relations Public Safety Canada 613-991-0657 http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1776664#ixzz2vqNc1Aie
Advocate says victims of crime still lack suitable support
Louis Turcotte Ottawa Citizen March 10, 2014
OTTAWA — “Did you know that Kevin’s dead?”
Carolyn Solomon thought it was a joke when she answered the phone on the night of Jan. 10, 1997. It was one of her son’s ex-girlfriends. Kevin and a friend had been slain the night before in Thunder Bay.
“It was a complete nightmare,” says Solomon of the days that followed the news.
The pain of losing her son was almost matched by the anger she felt at officials dealing with the case, who she says kept her in the dark entirely.
Solomon says she felt stonewalled by police in Thunder Bay when she sought information on her son’s death, and ran into similar resistance from the government. It took years and a lawsuit before officials would finally heed her call for answers.
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Solomon was among the panellists at a recent Algonquin College event speaking about support for victims of crime in Canada.
Today, she is a board member at the Canadian Resource Center for Victims of Crime, and was recently appointed to the newly formed Victims Advisory Committee to the Correctional Services Canada. She says she feels rewarded helping others to avoid the situation she had to go through.
In the months following her son’s death in 1997, Solomon looked to the government for answers and support, and found both to be in short supply.
“(Officials) told us what we needed to hear at that particular moment and that got rid of us until the next phone call. And then it would be the same thing,” says Solomon. “After the first year, I think I needed psychological support just from the government people, just because of what they put us through,” she says.
“These people that are in places of authority were the very ones that were re- victimizers, in saying things like ‘You’re really not a victim.”
Solomon has seen great strides made over the years in victims’ support in terms of funding for families to attend hearings and trials in criminal cases involving their loved ones.
But according to Steve Sullivan, director of Ottawa Victim Services, the federal government still isn’t up to speed on helping victims of crime.
“Governments of all stripes have had a tendency to not give adequate funding to give support to the victims of crime, and I think that is something that all Canadians would support and like to see,” he says.
Sullivan was another of the panellist at Algonquin. He said the government is relying too heavily on controversial victims’ fine surcharges to help fund support for victims of crime, rather than other funding. Carolyn Solomon says she can’t help but hope victims will one day be given the help they need to get through their ordeal. She’s seen too many victims of crime lose their job or their house at their time of greatest need.
“I don’t suppose there are as many cases of this as there were back then,” she says, speaking of the years after she first got involved in victims’ support. “But it’s still happening, and that’s unacceptable.” http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Advocate+says+victims+crime+still+lack+suitable+suppo rt/9600648/story.html
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
New App Lets Police Officers Know If They're Too Tired to Work
Colin Wood Government Technology March 6, 2014
American police officers do not lead healthy lives. The average cop's stress, fatigue and sedentary lifestyle causes him to die seven years earlier than his municipal office worker counterpart, according to a University of Buffalo study. The average police officer also has a high predisposition to obesity, depression, cancer and suicide. What plays a central role in police officers' health is fatigue -- something Bryan Vila has studied for 30 years. And now, he's looking to digital technology for solutions.
Vila was himself a police officer for 17 years. Today he is a professor at the Sleep and Performance Research Center and the Criminal Justice and Criminology department at Washington State University. And now, he's trying to get a mobile app on the market that can help police officers with fatigue.
“People have always characterized cops as being kind of dog-tired and raspy,” Vila said. “When you see them portrayed in a movie or in a book, or when you meet someone on the street, they are oftentimes that way."
But no one has ever thought about the impacts of that on their long term health and safety, or how they do their job, Vila said, adding that police overwork themselves, which is not only bad for their own health, but it also affects the health and safety of the general public.
Together with Jo Strang of the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association; Gregory Godbout, a presidential innovation fellow at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; and Fatigue Science, a company that provides fatigue measurement technology; Vila wants to get an app dedicated to fighting cop fatigue in the field so police can work safer and healthier.
The app, called BeSharp, uses an algorithm to draw on decades of research, helping users to solve one of the biggest problems when it comes to fatigue: identifying it.
The difficult thing about fatigue, Vila said, is that although it has a big impact on performance, it’s very hard to measure or diagnose.
“People are lousy judges of their own fatigue impairment,” he said, contrasting fatigue with alcohol intoxication, which is much easier for a person to recognize. “Fatigue doesn’t affect you that same way. By the time you notice, ‘Boy I’m really tired, I better be careful,’ you’re already seriously impaired. You shouldn’t be driving, for example."
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There's a lag effect with fatigue, he said, and it affects the part of the brain that would alert a person that he or she needs to be more prudent.
The BeSharp app attempts to fill in that recognition gap. “We have algorithms for estimating how tired you’re likely to be based on how long you’ve been awake, how much sleep you’ve had in the preceding days and what time of day it is,” he explained. The app also takes data from a wrist actigraph made by Fatigue Science that can identify when the wearer is sleeping or active.
Based on that data, the user will receive alerts throughout his shifts. When a user reaches 90 percent capacity, for instance, he will receive an alert telling him to what degree his cognitive ability, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time have been impaired. When a user’s reaction time has been reduced by 80 percent, it’s time to call for relief.
Fatigue in law enforcement is a complex issue that comes from several different sources, Vila said. The profession of policing in America is rooted in an era when doctors thought smoking was healthy and no one knew anything about the circadian rhythm or the importance of getting enough rest. Police officers were viewed like soldiers when it came to scheduling – they were tools to be used as the city needed. Police officers today often loathe to reduce their own hours because that would mean less overtime pay.
Vila speaks to groups of police officers on the effects of fatigue on health, and at those meetings he conducts hand-raising surveys in which he asks questions like “How many of you have worked 24 hours straight?” or “How many of you have fallen asleep at the wheel of your vehicle or have had to take a nap because you were too tired to drive?”
With every question, he said, every hand in the room goes up. There are more scientific studies that support Vila’s impromptu surveys – it’s something that’s been around for decades. And alongside efforts to get policies changed around scheduling and funding, Vila said he would also like to see police using the BeSharp app.
The app has undergone initial functionality testing, but has not yet been tested in the field. In about six months, Vila said he expects to make the app available. http://www.governing.com/news/headlines/new-app-lets-police-officers-know-if- theyre-too-tired-to-work.html
Ombudsman backs police Taser use
The Belfast Telegraph March 13, 2014
A man who threatened to slit his throat with a pizza cutter was shot with a Taser by police in a justified use of force, the Police Ombudsman said.
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It was one of several uses of the electroshock weapon which Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire investigated and then exonerated police of any wrongdoing.
Officers had responded to a 999 call that a man in Belleek in Co Fermanagh was threatening a home owner last summer. When they arrived he had gone to a nearby house.
The Ombudsman's office said: "When police entered the property the man held up a pizza cutter to his throat and threatened to kill himself.
"An officer then fired a Taser, which allowed police to disarm and restrain him."
All incidents involving the police's use of firearms are automatically referred to the Ombudsman.
Dr Maguire considered witness statements, police documents, radio transmissions and medical evidence as well as information retrieved from the electronic memory of Tasers.
He found that police were justified in using the devices during five incidents involving people armed with knives.
Four surrounded individuals threatening to kill or harm themselves and the other involved a man using a knife to threaten his distressed mother and sister. The use of a Taser allowed police to disarm those involved.
Other cases included:
:: In April 2010 police in east Belfast fired a Taser against a man suspected of involvement in armed robberies in the Woodstock Road and Albertbridge Road areas.
He was found in a house with a kitchen knife and his wrists had been cut in several places with his forearms smeared in blood. Officers said he was shouting aggressively and had his knife pointing towards them as he approached.
When he appeared to reach for the waistband of his trousers police feared he might be trying to retrieve a gun and fired their Tasers. They missed and the man ran upstairs but was later persuaded to surrender.
:: In Lisburn in October 2011 police used the weapon against a man with a knife who was threatening to kill himself and was also reported to have been trying to push a dog onto the road into the path of traffic. Officers said the Taser was used as he had rushed towards them with the knife in his hand, having previously asked if they would shoot if he ran at them with the knife.
:: A Taser was used in Newtownabbey in December 2011 when police received a report that a man had a knife and rope and was threatening to kill himself. The weapon was
41 discharged when the man placed the knife at his throat. His relative told the Ombudsman's office he was satisfied with actions taken by police.
Dr Maguire said: "I am satisfied that the police were presented with situations in which there was a clear risk of injury to members of the public and police officers and that the use of a Taser was appropriate in helping to quickly remove such threats." http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/ombudsman- backs-police-taser-use-30088478.html
Chief Invites Public Comments on How Police Officers Do Their Jobs
Deb Belt Crofton March 07, 2014
How would you rate the job the Anne Arundel County Police Department does?
Residents can comment on how the police department meets national standards at a public meeting on April 7. The session is part of a review by a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. They will arrive April 6 to examine all aspects of the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Kevin Davis announced.
Verification by the team that the Anne Arundel County Police Department meets the commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation or re-accreditation, a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence, he said.
As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to comment at a public information session at 6 p.m. Monday, April 7. The session will be held in the Hein Building Auditorium, 7480 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. in Glen Burnie.
If you cannot attend the public comment session, but would still like to speak to the assessment team, you may call (410) 222-8972 on Monday, April 7, between 1 and 3 p.m.
Telephone comments, as well as appearances at the public information session, are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the commission’s standards.
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Residents can send written comments about the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation to: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155.
“The Anne Arundel County Police Department complies with over 400 standards in order to maintain our accredited status,” Chief Davis said. “Accreditation is very important to the Anne Arundel County Police Department because it allows us to measure our department against a set of internationally recognized standards and assists with our endless pursuit of attaining the highest professional standards and best practices.”
The accreditation manager for the Anne Arundel County Police Department is Cpl. Beth Miller. She said the assessment team is composed of law enforcement professionals from similar but out-of-state/country agencies.
The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed. The assessors are: Team Leader – Retired Superintendent Susan Maycock from the Peel Regional Police (ON, Canada), and Captain Richard Lane from the Indian River County (FL) Sheriff’s Office.
“Once the commission’s assessors complete their review of our department, they report back to the full commission, which will then decide if our agency will maintain its accredited status,” Davis said.
Accreditation is for three years, during which the agency must submit annual reports showing continued compliance with the standards under which it was initially accredited or reaccredited.
For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., call 703-352-4225. http://crofton.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/chief-invites-public-comments-on- how-police-officers-do-their-jobs-crofton
The ‘Art of the Watchdog’
The Crime Report March 6, 2014
Efforts to fight corruption and abuses of power have been hamstrung by the “highly destructive” anti-government messages prevailing in U.S. politics today, say two of the country’s leading good-government “watchdogs.”
Dan Feldman, a former New York State Assemblyman who chaired the state’s oversight committee, says that growing cynicism about politicians has had the contradictory effect
43 of weakening public outrage over revelations of waste or fraud. Without that outrage, he says, “you don’t get the political pressure for reform.”
And the continuing message conveyed by a number of politicians that “government is the problem” doesn’t help either.
“If we do have an increase in corruption (today), I attribute that in part to that highly destructive message from the early 1980s,” added Feldman, co-author of the recently published “The Art of the Watchdog.”
Phil Zisman, executive director of the Association of Inspectors General, a national organization, said “watchdogs” – ranging from government auditors to media and ordinary whistleblowers— were crucial to keeping government honest and transparent. “The watchdog’s role is to restore public trust,” he said.
Zisman and Feldman both teach in the Department of Public Management at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, which has the country’s largest program on government auditing and oversight—with over 800 students.
They spoke on this month’s “Criminal Justice Matters,” produced at John Jay for CUNY- TV and hosted by The Crime Report Executive Editor Stephen Handelman. http://www.thecrimereport.org/news/inside-criminal-justice/2014-03-the-art-of-the- watchdog
EDITORIAL - Move To Full Civilian Oversight of Police, Too
The Gleaner March 7, 2014
The Government's decision, announced by the national security minister, Peter Bunting, to move ahead, finally, with the merger of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) is quite sensible.
Why it didn't happen in the more than two decades since it was firmly placed on agenda by the Wolf Committee during the tenure of K.D. Knight, was revealed by Mr Knight, in remarks to this newspaper.
Mr Knight, when he was security minister, felt that "it was better to have two separate groups, because you never know what can happen".
The obvious translation of that sentiment, to which Mr Knight's successors, on either side of the political fence, obviously subscribed, is that in the event of disloyalty of one body of constables, the Government/State could call on the other. That approach, a kind of governance of suspicion, is not a principle by which a modern democracy should be managed.
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In any event, as Mr Bunting indicated, in our crime-riddled society, there is potentially greater value to be extracted by merging the organisations, not having them separate.
As it is now, the two organisations require separate command and management structures, which, if merged, will not only save money, but free more staff to actually prevent and detect crime. For instance, there should be a seamless implementation of strategy and tactics and more effective gains from police to population ratio, which, at around 450 per 100,000, is among the lowest in the Caribbean.
It is a fact that the merger will vest a larger force and more power in the hands of the police chief who will, perforce, be leader of the JCF. For, effectively, the ISCF will be collapsed into that body.
Expand reform
Greater power, we feel, demands greater accountability. In that regard, Mr Bunting's reform ought not to end with the merger of the JCF and the ISCF.
He was known, at one time, to favour the merger of the Police Service Commission (PSC), which has responsibility for appointments and discipline, and the newer Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA), which supposedly has oversight for the implementation by the police of policy, but has little real power. Mr Bunting should revive and implement that project - but with more.
We propose the establishment of a new, civilian-dominated oversight commission to which the police chief would be operationally accountable. He accounts to no one at present. It would also review crime-fighting priorities as well as have oversight for the police's management of their budget.
Such a commission could be broadly modelled off the elected police and crime commissions that now exist in England and Wales, but tailored to the Jamaican environment.
We appreciate that the PSC is a constitutionally anchored body that requires special legislative procedures to change. But it is not governed by a deeply entrenched clause - Section 129. In any event, bipartisan support for the idea should not be difficult to gain. In the meantime, ahead of constitutional change, much could be achieved by normal legislative action.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: [email protected] or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published. http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140307/cleisure/cleisure1.html
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