BL - April 2020

BLUE LINE CANADA’S LAW ENFORCEMENT MAGAZINE

www.BlueLine.ca

APRIL 2020

2020

BLUE LINE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD CONSTABLE

TAYLOR OLENIC MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICE

COVER STORY

Investigational excellence Junior patrol officer exceeds expectations, brings special skillset to the job p. 18

TECHNOLOGY

Location software insights p. 28 BACK OF THE BOOK

A national standard for workplace fatigue p. 34

THE AVERAGE TRUCK NEVER COMES WITH THIS MUCH STORAGE.

BUT THEN THIS ISN’T YOUR AVERAGE TRUCK. The 2020 Ram 1500 Special Service is no ordinary truck, starting with its legendary 5.7L HEMI® V8 engine featuring the fuel-efficient Multi-Displacement System (MDS) Fuel Saver Technology. Variable Valve Timing (VVT) delivers impressive engine performance, while its Class-Exclusive Multilink Coil Spring Rear Suspension* ensures lateral stiffness and superior vehicle control. An available RamBox® Cargo Management System* means you’ll never run out of room — whatever you bring to the job. The Ram 1500 Special Service. With so many great features, no wonder they call it Special.

CLASS-EXCLUSIVE RAMBOX CARGO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ®

WITH BED DIVIDER*

CLASS-EXCLUSIVE MULTILINK COIL SPRING REAR SUSPENSION*

fleet.fcacanada.ca

1 800 463-3600

*Based on Automotive News Full-Size Pickup segmentation. Excludes other vehicles designed and manufactured by FCA US LLC.

Contents

26 April 2020 Volume 32 Number 4

Features

Columns 4 10 14 15 16 28 30 34

Editor’s commentary Q&A Interviewing & investigations Holding the line Behavioural sciences Technology Case law Back of the book

COVER STORY

18 Investigational excellence with a whole lot of energy

Const. Taylor Olenic of the Medicine Hat Police Service, the recipient of Blue Line’s brand-new Rookie of the Year Award, has been on the job for less than two years but he’s exceeded every expectation. By Renée Francoeur

24 Committed to community, wildlife and beyond

Blue Line is proud to present the 2020 Lifetime in Law Enforcement Achievement Award to Conservation Officer Robert Thibodeau of Cambridge-Narrows, N.B., who has been serving his community for more than 30 years. By Renée Francoeur

26 Photos from the Security • Police • Fire Career Expo

Departments 5 5 8 9 9 31 32 33 34

By the numbers News Letter to the Editor Dispatches Calendar Off the shelf Product showcase Marketplace Blue Links

COVER PHOTO: SGT. ERNIE FISCHHOFER, MHPS

This 2nd annual collaborative Career Expo brought together about 200 students and security, fire and police professionals for an engaging day of job interviewing advice, networking and career building tips.

10 18 @Blue_LineMag

24 April 2020 | BLUE LINE

3

EDITOR’S COMMENTARY

BY RENÉE FRANCOEUR

Enforcing the law during a pandemic & taking care of yourself

A

s I write this, the World Health handling of the COVID-19 quarantine at the Organization (WHO) has char- Nav Centre, where 129 Canadian passenacterized COVID-19, or Cor- gers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship onavirus Disease 2019, as a were brought. pandemic. There’s a hefty dose of fear in Officers who entered the quarantine the air as we all rush for the hand sanitiz- zone were given N95 face masks, goggles er (and some unreasonably stockpile toilet and nitrile gloves, according to Cornwall paper) and many switch to working from Seaway News. More from that article below: home full-time — at least for the time Staff Sgt. George Knezevic explained that being. First responders, of course, don’t there was only one instance when CPS was have that option. You can only remind asked to intervene in a situation involving a yourselves of your roles and take the ne- patient under quarantine. Upon the arrival cessary, recommended precautions. of the passengers, one 60-year-old man reThe IACP (International Assofused to get off the bus and wear ciation of Chiefs of Police) has On the same a protective mask. CPS was launched a separate website portal day Ontario’s called in, but by the time they dedicated to aiding law enforce- top health entered the quarantine zone, the ment in learning more about official individual had accepted the order COVID-19 and how agencies can recommended of compliance. The officers left prepare. There’s even a “Staying the the quarantine zone within five Healthy as a Police Officer during cancellation of minutes and were then deconCOVID-19” PDF you can down- events with taminated. load and customize to your agency. large groups, All of the officers who covered The Centers for Disease Control we also shifts during the course of the (CDC) recommends you have a decided to quarantine were volunteers. All trained Emergency Medical Ser- postpone our those who worked the quarantine vice/ Emergency Medical Techni- annual Blue had to be clean shaven in order cian (EMS/EMT) assess and Line Expo. for the N95 face masks to proptransport anyone you come across erly fit and fellow CPS members in your work who you think might have shaved in solidarity, according to Knezevic.

COVID-19 to a healthcare facility.

I imagine there are other—and will be Law enforcement officers who must many more—stories out there similar to make contact with individuals confirmed this one. Kudos to CPS for a job well done. or suspected to have COVID-19 should Meanwhile, on the same day Ontario’s follow CDC’s Interim Guidance for EMS top health official recommended the can(bit.ly/2xPsOG8). cellation of events with large groups, we We still don’t know as of yet how the also decided to postpone our annual Blue virus has affected Canadian police organ- Line Expo. The safety of our community izations, or truly much about how it’s and everyone involved in the event contaxing global law enforcement—though tinues to be our top priority. Our new date we read how Italian police “are out in is Sept. 29 and the show will now take piazzas, train stations and traffic circles to place at Bingemans Conference Centre in check documents, issue fines and send Kitchener, Ont. people home if their explanations or Thank you to all the emergency workers, paperwork is wanting,” after govern- nurses, doctors, clinic and hospital staff ment-imposed restrictions on movement. working tirelessly through this pandemic.

Positive Canadian news we have heard Hopefully it will soon be contained. Let’s includes the Cornwall Police Services wash our hands properly and often, avoid Board recently applauding the efforts of touching our faces and focus on what we Cornwall Police Service (CPS) for their can control.

CONNECT WITH BLUE LINE

www.BlueLine.ca 4

@Blue_LineMag

BLUE LINE | April 2020

www.facebook.com/BlueLineMagazine

BLUE LINE www.BlueLine.ca

GROUP PUBLISHER | MARTIN MCANULTY mmcanulty@annexbusinessmedia.com EDITOR | RENÉE FRANCOEUR rfrancoeur@annexbusinessmedia.com ACCOUNT MANAGER | JANICE EATON jeaton@annexbusinessmedia.com MEDIA DESIGNER | SVETLANA AVRUTIN savrutin@annexbusinessmedia.com ACCOUNT COORDINATOR | TRISH RAMSAY tramsay@annexbusinessmedia.com CIRCULATION MANAGER | BEATA OLECHNOWICZ bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 416-510-5182 COO | SCOTT JAMIESON sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com

ANNEX BUSINESS MEDIA 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400 Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 Tel. 416-442-5600 • Fax 416-442-2191

Publication Mail Agreement No. 40065710 ISSN 0847-8538 Printed in Canada SUBSCRIPTION RATES Canada — 1 Year $31.50; 2 Year $52.50 plus tax USA — 1 Year $136.50 CAD CIRCULATION email: bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 416-510-5182 Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416-442-2191 Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 Occasionally, Blue Line will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

Annex Privacy Officer Privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com; Tel: 800-668-2374 © 2020 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions.

Readers are cautioned and advised that articles presented herein are edited and supplied for your personal awareness and should not be used for further action until appropriate guidance is received from a supervisor, Crown Attorney or other persons in authority.

All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval.

Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of this publication.

NEWS NORFOLK COUNTY

New false alarm bylaw adopted to ease burden on police

PHOTO: WINNIPEG POLICE SERVICE

WINNIPEG

Fire Paramedic Service trained in canine emergency care for police dogs

The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) have completed a new training initiative: WFPS Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) paramedics, who provide pre-hospital medical care for the WPS Tactical Support Team (TST), are now fully trained to provide canine emergency pre-hospital medical care for the WPS K9 Unit.

The training was achieved through consultations with WPS, WFPS, the WPS K9 Unit and Tactical Support Units, the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), Bridgwater Veterinary Hospital and Pembina Veterinary Hospital.

“Although no one wishes for anything to happen, this initiative has created peace of mind for K9 Unit handlers to know that medical aid is close-by and available prior to, and enroute, to a veterinary care facility in the event a dog is injured,” the police service stated.

YORK REGION

YRP one of “Canada’s Top Employers for Young People”

Social media and technology are changing the way young people expect to interact with their employers. That’s the message from this

year’s winners of the Canada’s Top Employers for Young People competition, announced in mid-January by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. York Regional Police (YRP) is the only police service to make the list.

These are the points that caught the judges’ attention: • Employees working at YRP’s head office can stay in shape with free access to a 24/7 onsite fitness facility that offers everything from defence tactics to yoga and tai chi classes, along with the services of an onsite wellness co-ordinator • YRP maintains a diversity, equity and inclusion bureau and offers a number of in-house training on topics such as mental readiness, transgender awareness and Aboriginal cultural competency • YRP invests in long-term career development with tuition subsidies for job-related courses, opportunities for formal mentoring as well as in-house training and career planning services Now in its 18th year, Canada’s Top Employers for Young People is an editorial competition that recognizes employers offering the nation’s best workplaces and programs for young people starting their careers.

The full list of Canada’s Top Employers Young People (2020) is at www.canadastop100.com/young_people.

Norfolk County in Ontario is adopting a revised alarm bylaw designed to relieve the burden of false alarm dispatches for local police and encourage alarm owners to adopt means of verification that will help reduce the incidence of false alarms.

Dennis Travale, chair of the Norfolk Police Services Board, notes there are more than 1,000 alarm calls in the county a year, an overwhelming number of which are false (more than 95 per cent). A number of Canadian municipalities, including Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., have already taken steps to change their alarm response policies in an effort to curb the incidence of false alarms and improve the use of police resources.

Travale says it was important for Norfolk County to take a similar stance. “That’s a severe waste of police time and talent.”

Travale consulted with the Toronto Police Service, as well as the Canadian Security Association (CANASA) and other police services as the new bylaw was drafted. The responding police agency for Norfolk County is the Ontario Provincial Police.

The bylaw took effect March 1. Now, a flat fee of $200 will be administered for any alarm that is attended and later deemed false. This replaces the fee structure that was free for the first false alarm on a premise and escalated for each subsequent false alarm to a maximum of $500. The old system wasn’t sufficient enough deterrent for alarm users, says Travale, and “really didn’t focus on trying to force the industry to solve any problems or the alarm owner to take responsibility.”

Travale says that Norfolk County is the first OPP municipality to adopt such a move.

This article was originally published by fellow Annex Business Media publication, SP&T News (www.sptnews.ca).

BY THE NUMBERS

According to a report released by PreciseSecurity.com, the U.S. has the highest number of CCTV cameras per person in the world. This is despite China having four times as many CCTV cameras in total compared to the U.S. In fact, data shows China is a leading country in terms of surveillance.

Find more from the report below and at bit.ly/2sM2kCT.

200 million CCTV cameras—at least—in China

@Blue_LineMag

50

million devices in the U.S.

5.2

5

million in Germany

million in the U.K.

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

5

NEWS SARNIA

Tactical and Academic Training Centre opens

The Sarnia Police Service officially opened its Tactical and Academic Training Centre, located at the Lambton Mall, in mid-January.

The Training Centre will allow for “our officers and civilians to be in a safe and controlled environment while offering the required tools to deliver effective and appropriate training to our members,” the service stated.

The centre is a freshly renovated 2,700-square-metre windowless facility, located in the north end of the old Tepperman’s store.

It’s the only police training centre in a mall in Canada, the service’s chief training officer, Shaun Osborne, told local news outlets.

Osborne is also the lead officer behind the project. The finished space includes a plywood-plastered room for simulating searches and other tactics for entering buildings, dealing with armed individuals or attending drug calls.

The service had occupied a smaller training area at the mall starting in 2017, before the move to the larger training area was initiated by other mall renovations.

There was no simulation area in the old space, Sarnia Police Chief Norm Hansen said.

The police service credits donations from two of the community’s institutions, LiUNA Local 1089 and Kelgor Limited, for helping to make this centre a reality.

Plywood targets and walls equipped with a ladder for training officers to keep an eye on everything from above, the LiUNA Local 1089-sponsored simulation room is designed for officers to use simulated ammunition — detergent packed 40-calibre rounds, police said.

“We’re trying to get it as realistic as possible, that way people react appropriately,” said Const. Giovanni Sottosanti.

The other major training area in the Sarnia Police Tactical and Academy Training Centre is the defensive tactics room, where officers practice handcuffing, using batons and other techniques, Sottosanti said.

The room, outfitted using a donation from Kelgor, was designed with seams on the Kevlar ground mats so officers’ duty belts will no longer catch, he said, noting in the past those snags caused damage to equipment and injury to officers.

6

BLUE LINE | April 2020

Left to right: Deputy Chief Lockhart, Jason McMichael (LiUNA), Ralph Gosselin (assisted in the building of the training centre), Cathy Dam, (financial director for the Sarnia Police Service), Mike Maitland, (LiUNA Local 1089), Chief Norm Hansen, Clarance Fields (LiUNA Local 1089), and Chief Instructor Shawn Osborne were all on hand to open the Tactical and Academic Training Centre in Sarnia. PHOTO: SARNIA POLICE SERVICE EDMONTON

Community Solutions Accelerator project champions new approach to public safety

PHOTO: EPS

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS), through the support of the Edmonton Police Foundation and corporate partners, will now be utilizing the “latest industry technology and innovative expertise to collaboratively solve the ongoing issues impacting our community.” This will be done through the Community Solutions Accelerator approach, a first for policing in North America, according to the service.

“Some elements of community policing will never change, but resources are limited, so we need to find new ways to respond to the problems that continue to impact our citizens, strain our healthcare services, and overflow our criminal justice system,” said Police Chief Dale McFee. The Community Solutions Accelerator (CSA) is a “ground-breaking new approach to public safety and well-being modelled on business applications that combine amalgamated data, artificial intelligence and machine learning to solve complex problems,” EPS announced.

Using available data from a variety of sources, the CSA will focus on the interconnected challenges affecting Edmonton such as crime, addictions, homelessness, and mental health.

Depending on the scope of the initiatives, partners will contribute numerous resources such as funding, lab space, IT infrastructure, technical support, research expertise, marketing and mentorship. Founding partners include Telus, Motorola Solutions, the University of Alberta, and ATB Financial.

The CSA will pioneer a human-centred and holistic approach to policing and community safety. It will be evaluated on how well its solutions mitigate harm to individuals and diminish criminal activities.

HALTON REGION

Backup Buddy mobile app tailored for police services

The Halton Regional Police Service says it “whole-heartedly believes that when it comes to mental health, every action counts.” On Bell Let’s Talk Day for 2020, the service launched the Backup Buddy mobile app, which provides access to mental wellness resources, anytime, anywhere, to every member, active and retired, and their family members too. This resource is a first of its kind, tailored specifically for police services in Canada.

“The goal of the Backup Buddy is to reassure those in the Halton Regional Police Service Family that they are not alone, that help is always available, and asking for it is a good thing,” said Deputy Chief Jeff Hill. “With the help of Backup Buddy, we aim to remove the stigma surrounding mental health, www.BlueLine.ca

PLAYING SARDINES IN THE FRONT SEAT? WITH TROY PRODUCTS’ PRISONER PARTITIONS, YOU SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE FRONT-SEAT SPACE WHILE ONLY MINIMALLY REDUCING IT FOR YOUR…"CLIENTS” IN THE BACK.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

» No-drill and no-cut installation, using existing factory bolt holes

» Full slide on the driver’s seat plus 10° more seat recline than other partitions

» 35% taller window and 40% wider side-wings, providing better visibility to the rear seat

604.757.5350 | SALES@SIGMASAFETY.CA | SIGMASAFETY.CA/TROY

NEWS provide support and resources to anyone seeking them.”

The ‘BB HRPS’ app is live and available for download to Apple and Android devices. The resource has been installed on all serviceissued mobile devices and members are also encouraged to download the app to their personal devices and those of their loved ones.

COBOURG

Local police service partners to launch Policetech Accelerator

Northumberland Community Futures Development Corp. (CFDC) has launched the Venture13 Policetech Accelerator in partnership with Cobourg Police Service (CPS).

The accelerator will offer research and development partnership opportunities, technology pilots (demonstration and validation) and investments through two streams (Policetech Start-Ups and Policetech Scale-Ups).

“Innovation is a core value of our police service. And so, we are excited to see this partnership evolve to position our service and Venture13 as a policetech test bed and best-in-class for rural and small-town communities dedicated to adopting new technologies and new solutions for enhanced community safety and overall operational excellence,” said Chief of Police Paul

“We are excited to see this partnership evolve to position our service and Venture13 as a policetech test bed,” said Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf. PHOTO: NORTHUMBERLAND CFDC VandeGraaf. “We look forward to the opportunity to partner with the best and brightest up-and-coming technology entrepreneurs and innovators on key demonstration projects, with the support of Northumberland CFDC and our Eastern Ontario innovation corridor partners.”

The project is supported by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) through the Rural Innovation Initiative Eastern Ontario (RIIEO).

The Accelerator will receive $100,000 in RIIEO funding, matched by a further $150,000 investment by the Cobourg Police Service, to enable the development of transformative police technologies, resulting in the creation of up to 10 new full-time jobs.

The Northumberland CFDC will provide

additional investment of up to $150,000 through a competitive intake process—along with V13 VentureZone co-working space and strategic project support. Demonstration projects will leverage technology to impact CPS operational excellence, create efficiencies, and help put more officers on the street.

Venture13 is an “innovation and entrepreneurship centre” that opened its doors in May 2018 in Cobourg, Ont. The facility includes a VentureZone co-working space, fibre connection, hardware MakerLab, solar microgrid, EV charging station, demo hall, in-house Angel sidecar fund and startup competition.

This V13 Policetech Accelerator evolved out of the successful “Pitch to Chief” challenge at Venture13, 2018-2019.

VIA Rail Police are not the first, or even the second or third. At best, they would be considered the fifth police agency in this regard.

Canadian Pacific (CP) Police provided policing services across the country, including the Canadian Pacific intercity passenger rail service, up to October 1978, when their passenger service was transferred to VIA Rail.

CP Police continue to provide policing to intercity passenger rail service in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.

Canadian National Police provided policing of the Canadian National passenger train services until VIA Rail was created in January 1977. CN Police and CP Police jointly provided policing to VIA Rail intercity passenger service based on which railway’s lines the train was being operated.

B.C. Rail Police provided police services to B.C. Rail’s passenger rail service for many years. Originally coming into service as the Pacific Great Eastern (PGE) Railway in 1912, passenger service ran between many

communities between North Vancouver and Prince George until discontinued in 2002. In 2004 B.C. Rail’s railway operations were leased to CN Rail for 999 years.

Amtrak also operates an intercity passenger rail service between Seattle, Wash., and Vancouver, B.C., which is policed by the Burlington Northern Railway Police, who have a detachment in southern B.C. As a former police officer with both CP Police and B.C. Rail police in the 1980s, I can attest to the may calls for service and investigations involving the passenger rail services operating on their respective rail lines.

As you can see, there is a long history of policing intercity passenger rail service in Canada and the VIA Rail Canada Police joins that proud tradition.

- Kurt Niessen

LETTER TO THE EDITOR The following is a comment in reference to the cover story, “Protecting Canada’s intercity passenger rail service,” from the March 2020 issue of Blue Line.

I wish to congratulate you on a splendid article regarding the formation and development of the VIA Rail Canada Police Service. The work they perform and the service they provide to Canadians is under appreciated and mostly unknown except to those in the policing communities.

The article is comprehensive and highlights the VIA Rail Canada Police as an example of how modern transportation policing is inclusive and works collaboratively with other agencies, both within and outside of Canada.

There is one statement in the article, however, that I must point out is not factually correct. In the first paragraph, the author states; “Today, as the first and only intercity passenger rail police in Canada …”.

8

BLUE LINE | April 2020

CORRECTION Blue Line apologizes for the error stated above and thanks Kurt Niessen for bringing it to our attention.

www.BlueLine.ca

NEWS DISPATCHES Daryl Longworth is chief of police at Woodstock Police Service. Longworth was previously a deputy chief at London Police Service, overseeing all corporate and support services. His portfolio included human resources, finance, corporate and dispatch communications, courts and records, fleet and facilities and information technology. He replaced Woodstock Chief Bill Renton, whose last day on the job was June 14, 2019.

Faron Whiteye has assumed the helm of the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service as the new chief. He hails from the Moravian Delaware Nation with ties to Walpole Island First Nation. He has over 23 years in First Nations policing with the Anishinabek Police Service and Walpole Island Police Service, serving six of those years as Detective Staff Sergeant and Professional Standards & Major Criminal Investigations Bureau Commander.

Most recently he has been employed at the Ontario Police College as an instructor with the basic constable training program in firearms. The UCCM Police Commission would also like to say Chi Miigwetch to Yves Forget who has served as interim chief of police for the past several months.

Chief Supt. Stephen Drolet has been named the new chief of Saint John Police Force, chosen from more than 70 candidates from across Canada. Drolet comes to Saint John with 27-years of experience with the RCMP. Most recently, he served as the deputy criminal operations officer for the province of B.C. and previously served as the officer in charge of the Burnaby detachment. Drolet assumed the role from interim chief Bruce Connell, who came out of retirement in April 2018 to replace outgoing chief John Bates.

Elaina Taylor, Woodstock Police Service’s first female officer, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family and friends on Feb. 25. She was 56.

Taylor served with the Woodstock Police Service for more than 31 years, with the last @Blue_LineMag

CALENDAR 13 years specifically in the Domestic Abuse Services Division where she retired as a sergeant in 2017. Rest in peace.

Deputy Chief Ingrid Berkeley-Brown is retiring after more than 33 years of service to Peel Regional Police. She has worked in several areas including Uniform Patrol, Community Services, Race and Ethnic Relations Bureau, Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau, Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Bureau, Public Affairs, Neighbourhood Policing Unit, Recruiting, Duty Inspectors’ Office, Records Services and Divisional Commander at 21 Division.

Please note numerous events have either been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19.

Double-check all event websites before booking.

CANCELLED

Risk & Recovery Conference April 16-17, 2020 Hamilton, Ont. www.riskandrecoveryconference.com POSTPONED

Canadian Police Association Conference April 20-22, 2020 Ottawa, Ont. www.cpa-acp.ca POSTPONED to Sept. 29

Blue Line Expo April 21, 2020 Mississauga, Ont. www.bluelineexpo.com National Symposium on Sexual Assault Cases in the Criminal Court April 25, 2020 Webcast www.osgoodepd.ca

The Cornwall Police Service has promoted two staff sergeants to the role of inspector: David Michaud and Chad Maxwell. Insp.

Michaud is responsible for the Support Services & Strategic Initiatives Division, while Insp. Maxwell assumes the responsibility of the Field Operations Division.

Edmonton police officer Dwayne Lakusta is the new CEO of Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), a provincially funded agency that investigates serious and organized crime in Alberta, including child exploitation, drug trafficking and gang violence.

Edmonton Police Supt. Terry Rocchio has retired after more than 39 years of service.

He was vested into the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by the Governor General of Canada in November 2019.

Canadian Critical Incident Stress Congress and Training April 28-May 1, 2020 Niagara Falls, Ont. bit.ly/2APFFq9 POSTPONED

2020 Chief Youth Courage Awards Gala April 29, 2020 Calgary, Alta. bit.ly/2APFFq9 CANCELLED

Canadian Police Canine Association Spring Seminar May 3, 2020 Barrie, Ont. canadianpolicecanine.com POSTPONED

After more than 30 years of service with the Durham Regional Police, Supt. Dave Brown is retiring.

OHIA Homicide Workshop May 4-8, 2020 Niagara Falls, Ont. www.oacp.on.ca

PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS, RECOGNITION • If you have an officer in your agency recently promoted or retiring or an individual you wish to have recognized (major award or recently deceased) you can let Blue Line magazine know by emailing: rfrancoeur@annexbusinessmedia.com.

LEOSH 2020 Conference June 17-19, 2020 Banff, Alta. www.leosh.org April 2020 | BLUE LINE

9

Q&A University of Alberta Protective Services (UAPS) and Edmonton Police Service (EPS) began working on a pilot project last year, largely in response to elevated crime rates on UofA campuses. The UAPS/EPS Liaison Officer project, featuring an embedded EPS officer, strives to go beyond and address some of the core issues motivating chronic offenders. UAPS’s director, Marcel Roth, connected with Blue Line to share more about this partnership.

EPS Const. Garth Snider, who has been on the force since 2008, transferred to work with the University of Alberta in September 2019 as part of this pilot program, which seeks to engage in increased intelligence sharing between the EPS and the university, as well as focusing on chronic ongoing issues and prolific persons.

With years of beat experience, Const. Snider has consistently been involved in community policing — from dealing and working with vulnerable persons, students, to building relationships with community groups and businesses.

Q: Where did the idea for the project come from?

The concept came from the need for a response to elevated crime rates on UofA campuses and the identification of a relatively small number of chronic offenders.

The overall goal is to reduce and solve crime in a partnership, featuring improved information and intelligence sharing in addition to addressing the core issues motivating chronic offenders. There are currently 20 success measures being tracked by UAPS and Const.

Snider, with an emphasis on the following measures: resource reductions, intelligence or information sharing, enforcement or diversion efforts with chronic offenders, UofA community survey results, and our overall rolling 12-month crime statistics.

10

BLUE LINE | April 2020

Edmonton Police Const. Garth Snider, right, and Director of University of Alberta Protective Services Marcel Roth.

Q: Tell us how this differs from a School Resource Officer (SRO) deployment.

This program is unique as Const.

Snider focuses on working jointly with the University of Alberta Peace Officer Program and its members.

Const. Snider engages with not only students, but also faculty members, assisting with UAPS investigations.

He is also able to focus on chronic issues while targeting persons with mental health concerns and drugs addictions, and utilizing other agencies within Edmonton.

In contrast, SROs work closely with students to keep them out of trouble while identifying issues. The UofA Liaison Officer works in a larger concentrated area, which involves more adults over the age of 18.

Q: What kind of results are you seeing?

Thus far, there has been a decrease in the number of calls for police to attend on campus. Other projects

Snapshot of University of Alberta Protective Services (UAPS)

1992

acquires special constable status

26

sworn members

2019

submits business case for UAPS/EPS Liaison Officer project to Edmonton Police

Visit www. protectiveservices. ualberta.ca for more.

have also been started from our model, seeking to focus on the larger scale impacts, and involve other secondary institutes within Edmonton, the Edmonton Community Standards (a branch within the municipality), and additional law enforcement units, such as the Light Rail or LRT Beats within EPS. These projects foster the sharing of information of common “Crime Trends,” person dealings, and other intelligence of that sort.

As an example of this, Const.

Snider recently obtained an “Assist to Identify,” or ATI, regarding a robbery suspect that had occurred at another post-secondary institution.

Const. Snider shared this information through the UofA Intelligence Sergeant, who in turn shared with UAPS members. Within minutes, the suspect was identified and the information was shared with the investigating officer in another division. Based on this sharing, charges were laid.

Q: Did UAPS and EPS have any similar, prior partnerships?

UAPS has partnered on smaller, finite projects or joint training in the past, but nothing as co-ordinated and embedded as the UAPS/EPS Liaison Officer project. The relationship between UAPS and EPS has been very positive. Since the pilot project began in the fall of 2019, I also meet quarterly with Const.

Snider’s staff sergeant and inspector, and I meet weekly with Const.

Snider to review the status of program goals. Additionally, I have had www.BlueLine.ca

PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA PROTECTIVE SERVICES

Q: What does the UAPS/EPS Liaison Officer project entail exactly?

the pleasure of meeting with EPS Chief McFee on two occasions to further discuss the concepts of working differently to help each agency and better address the core causation of property crime and disorder.

Q: What are the immediate next steps?

The pilot project is funded for one year, set to end in September 2020. The University of Alberta will determine sometime this year whether the pilot plan’s success measures warrant longer term funding.

UAPS is confident that the measurements are proving positive results at this stage and is hopeful the project can be supported financially for the long-term deployment of a UAPS/EPS Liaison Officer.

Q: What would you say to other campus services about this project, should they be curious about starting one too?

We would recommend other post-secondary institutions explore similar relationships with their respective police agencies if it solves an existing problem. Ours was

that increased property crimes and disorder events were increasing, the number of repeat offenders seemed to be growing and our limited authorities didn’t seem to be enough of a deterrent to address and curb behaviours of non-affiliated offenders.

We also believed that the model of calling for a traditional police response to criminal events was simply not assisting in addressing the above issues and we found it challenging to create solutions for chronic offenders within a traditional calland-respond model.

The embedded UAPS/EPS Liaison Officer model provides that coverage to address some — not all — of our calls that require a police response. The new model allows for an improved disposition, depending on the offender and their underlying issues.

This model also provides an opportunity to begin addressing what motivates some of the chronic offenders by providing courses of action that differ from a typical arrest-charge-release response. It is very important that we clarify we are not saying the current/traditional call-and-respond

model is broken; but rather that it wasn’t a strategy that was going to help us support our University of Alberta community in beginning to address certain issues by looking at the core causes for the behaviour.

Q: What are the long-term plans for the project?

With approved financial commitment, UAPS would seek to first compare year two results with year one and then have discussions with our EPS partners prior to year three on possibly expanding the project, as we are already seeing a potential for an additional UAPS/EPS Liaison Officer due to the nature of 24/7 operations like ours.

In the meantime, I would like to thank the following people who both assisted and are assisting to make this project a reality: EPS Chief Dale McFee, EPS Supt. Tom Pallas, EPS Insp. Bernie Loughlin, EPS Insp.

Shane Perka, EPS Staff Sgt. Jeff Kaun, Philip Stack, the UofA associate vice-president of risk management services; and Gitta Kulczycki, the UofA vice-president of finance and administration.

+1 867-668-5609 publisher@canadianguns.com www.canadianguns.com

CANADIAN ACCESS TO FIREARMS

The only Canadian buy-and-sell firearms newspaper distributed across Canada!

WHY ADVERTISE WITH CATF? Our paper is distributed monthly by subscription and at gun shows, gun trades, gun clubs and select stores across Canada. We shall put you in touch with the active, committed core of Canada’s firearm community!

@Blue_LineMag

BL_CATF_JanFeb20.indd 1

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

11

2019-12-03 11:03 AM

THE CACP EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION LEADERSHIP AWARD Sponsored by

Nominate this year’s winner The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Leadership Award recognizes individuals or teams who consistently go above and beyond in creating an inclusive environment.

And we need your help to find them.

We’re looking for examples of outstanding people or teams who have shown innovation or created a meaningful difference, with a commitment to championing a culture that supports the CACP EDI Committee definitions of equity, diversity and inclusion: Equity is fairness; going beyond treating people equally to make sure everyone has what they need to succeed, including removing barriers that disadvantage some groups over others.

Diversity is the range of visible and non-visible qualities, experiences, and identities that shape who we are, how we think, how we engage with, and are perceived by, the world. These can include, but aren’t limited to, dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical or mental disabilities, religious/spiritual beliefs, political ideologies, personality, capabilities and perspectives.

Inclusion is recognizing, welcoming and making space for diversity. An inclusive organization capitalizes on the diversity of thoughts, experiences, skills and talents of all our employees.

If you work with an individual or a team whose achievements deserve to be recognized, nominate them today.

For nomination forms, selection criteria and all other information, visit Awards and Recognition at CACP.ca

IMPORTANT DATES • April 15th 2020: Deadline to submit nominations • June 15th 2020: Selection Committee to submit recommendation to the CACP Board of Directors • July 2020: Winning nominee(s) notified • August 2020: Award announced and presented at the CACP Annual Conference

INTERVIEWING & INVESTIGATIONS

BY KERRY G. WATKINS, LL.M.

Tainted statements and the “Wittwer Warning”

T

14

BLUE LINE | April 2020

were taken only four hours apart); contextually (at the end of the first interview the officer told the suspect that questioning would continue at the station, and the same officer conducted both interviews); and, causally (after obtaining a confession during the first interview, the officer used the suspect’s desire to shield his children from the details of the offence to elicit inculpatory information from him during the second interview).

A “Wittwer warning” can help an investigator “sever” the connection between a subsequent statement and an earlier Charter breach by demonstrating to the suspect that the investigator is making a “fresh start,” thereby minimizing the impact of the earlier Charter breach on the suspect’s decision to make a subsequent statement. The issue is whether the tainting features of the earlier statement are a significant factor in the suspect’s decision to provide a subsequent statement.

This is part of what is known as the “derived confessions rule,” which functions to exclude statements that may appear admissible when viewed in isolation, but which are actually inadmissible because of their connection to an earlier inadmissible statement (R. v. S.G.T., 2010).

While the Supreme Court did not prescribe the specific wording of a “Wittwer warning,” in circumstances where such a warning is required investigators should, at a minimum, communicate the following elements to the detainee: • You have made a previous statement to police about the matter being investigated

• The earlier statement you gave to police may not be admissible as evidence in court because (insert reason) • You are not obligated to make a subsequent statement because you made an earlier statement • You should consider this request to give a subsequent statement as a fresh start and as a new investigative process • You may contact a lawyer and advise them that the earlier statement you gave to police may be inadmissible, and to receive legal advice about whether to provide a subsequent statement

It would also be prudent of investigators to: allow a period of time to elapse between the earlier statement and the taking of a subsequent statement (the more time the better)...

In addition to giving a detainee a Wittwer warning, it would also be prudent of investigators to: allow a period of time to elapse between the earlier statement and the taking of a subsequent statement (the more time the better); ensure that a different officer is involved in the taking of any subsequent statement; and, ensure that the officer taking the subsequent statement does not make explicit reference to what was discussed in the earlier statement.

Knowledge of statement law — including specialized legal protocols such as the Wittwer warning — is essential in equipping investigators to gather admissible statement evidence.

References

• R. v. McSweeney, 2020 ONCA 2 (CanLII) • Mom c. R., 2018 QCCA 1381 (CanLII) • R. v. NJ, 2019 ABPC 315 (CanLII) • R. v. S.G.T., 2010 SCC 20 (CanLII) • R. v. Tang, 2015 BCSC 1643 (CanLII) • R. v Wittwer, 2008 SCC 33 (CanLII) • R. v. Worrie, 2018 ONSC 1745 (CanLII)

Kerry Watkins conducted more than 2,000 interviews during his 30-year career, the majority of which was spent as a criminal investigator in specialized units investigating a wide range of matters, including police corruption, corporate fraud and homicide. He is currently director of The Interview Group, a professor at Humber College and an adjunct faculty member in the Ongoing Professional Development Program at Osgoode Hall in Toronto.

www.BlueLine.ca

PGIAM / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS / GETTY IMAGES

he concern in R. v. Wittwer (2008) was the conditions in which an earlier inadmissible statement would taint a subsequent statement making it also inadmissible (R. v.

Tang, 2015). The case gave rise to the so-called “Wittwer warning,” a protocol intended to isolate a subsequent statement from an earlier inadmissible statement, in order to preserve the admissibility of the subsequent statement.

Wittwer has been the law in Canada for more than a decade, yet problems persist in its application by investigators when questioning suspects in criminal investigations (e.g., R. v. NJ, 2019; Mom c. R., 2018; R. v. Worrie, 2018).

In a recent child pornography case (McSweeney, 2020), a police officer questioned a detainee without first informing him of his s.

10(b) right to counsel. This first interview during which the suspect made a confession, was clearly Charter non-compliant and would, therefore, likely have been inadmissible. The suspect was subsequently arrested, cautioned, advised of his right to counsel, and transported to the police station. Four hours later, after allowing the suspect to speak to legal counsel, the same police officer interviewed the suspect a second time and the suspect made an inculpatory statement.

The court found that the second interview was effectively part of the “same interrogation process” as the first, Charter non-compliant interview and, as a result, excluded both statements from evidence.

In considering whether a subsequent statement is tainted by an earlier Charter breach, the Supreme Court held in Wittwer that “the statement will be tainted if the breach and the impugned statement can be said to be part of the same transaction or course of conduct.”

In McSweeney, the Ontario Court of Appeal held that the two statements were connected in three significant ways: temporally (they

HOLDING THE LINE

BY MICHELLE VINCENT

Exploring emotional intelligence as a facet in police leadership

PETERSCHREIBER.MEDIA / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS / GETTY IMAGES

P

olicing is a multifaceted operation; emotional intelligence is simply one aspect of this intricate profession. The policing organization must provide deliverables to the community, ensuring safety and order.

It must also manage its own members from a skillset and mental health perspective, in order to ensure an effective delivery of those very services. Lives are often at stake in the assessment and processing of these deliverables. And that makes this profession unique when considering emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is commonly defined as the ability to understand one’s emotions as well as the emotions of others.

This is a seemingly simple and attainable attribute one would almost expect police officers to possess... or is it?

Leadership is most effective — and maybe only truly considered leadership — when conducted through a lens of emotional intelligence. This is a key component that differentiates leaders from managers. Emotional intelligence affects leadership in organizational culture and may define the skill set of those leaders.

Using tools such as the Emotional Quotient Interview, we can see not only potential in those we look to recruit, but also identify those members with a particular skill set who we may have unintentionally overlooked that may contribute added value to the services we provide as a policing organization.

Leaders are found at every rank and unit in policing, so when tying effective leadership in with emotional intelligence, we explore how each of us may incorporate emotional intelligence into our shifts. An example of this is when we are out on the road: Do we take the time to understand our own emotions within a critical situation we may be dealing with? This is not easy in the heat of the moment. Do we reflect after a traumatic incident about our actions and their effects on those we were dealing with?

Do we mull over what we did well, what we could improve on? This is a form of emotional intelligence in its simplest form.

Why is emotional intelligence important in the policing profession? Emotional intelligence is connected to job satisfaction and well-being, positive relationship pathways, employee engagement, as well @Blue_LineMag

Using tools such as the Emotional Quotient Interview, we can see not only potential in those we look to recruit, but also identify those members with a particular skill set who we may have unintentionally overlooked... as organizational commitment. All of these attributes are key for retention and especially in performing a level of policing excellence.

Let’s consider the five facets of emotional intelligence as a measure of emotional intelligence. These facets include five composites with their own subsets: • intrapersonal (self-regard/emotional self-awareness/assertiveness/independence/self-actualization) • interpersonal (empathy/social responsibility/interpersonal relationships) • stress management (impulse control) • adaptability (reality testing/flexibility/ problem solving) • general mood (happiness/optimism) Taking the above into consideration, let’s explore who, in your mind, excels in these areas and who might be able to use some training. This is not a judgement, but a reflective opportunity.

Emotional intelligence can develop over time in members, through experience as well as with age, which may explain the

value our “numerically advanced” members provide when hired later in life.

Emotional intelligence can be used as a tool in many processes. When considering our promotional measure, do we pay enough attention to this essential piece that ultimately may define a leader — as well as the culture within the organization? Perhaps our promotional questions — often delivered in competency fashion — should have measures of the emotional intelligence components. These components can be reflective of and integrated into our organizational values as well.

Emotional intelligence affects the economics of the organization. This is a big piece in policing as, from our organization, talents of our members are often overlooked or simply not utilized due to a lack of vision in opportunity. Leaders are identified, developed and tracked in organizations who practice and value emotional intelligence.

Finally, emotional intelligence has been found to be related positively to resilience, operational resilience, organizational resilience and mental health in general. Basically, the greater the member’s emotional intelligence, the more likely the member/organization/operation is to be resilient and have overall good mental health.

Moving forward as leading-edge policing organizations, we must understand the importance of leadership, culture and overall economics. We must consider emotional intelligence as a prominent component. It may support a greater overall understanding of how every leader in the policing organization should look — introspectively and outwardly — and which will then promote a collaborative, co-operative environment.

References

• McCutcheon, M. (2018). Emotional intelligence and organizational stress of police officers. InSight: Rivier Academic Journal, 14(1), 1.

• Turner, T. W. (2009). Understanding the benefits of emotional intelligence for officer growth and agency budgets.

Michelle Vincent recently retired from York Regional Police after 18 years.

She is the founder of The Haven, Ontario’s first non-profit, inpatient treatment centre exclusive to first responders and uniform personnel. Contact her at michelle.vincent@thehaven.cloud.

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

15

BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES

BY PETER COLLINS AND ALASDAIR GOODWILL

Preventing single actor extremist attacks: Part two

I

n the March 2020 issue of Blue Line, we discussed that although it is difficult to predict single actor perpetrated terror attacks, we have become much better at understanding the behavioural, cognitive and emotional escalation of their path to violence. Prevention is possible if the focus is upon evidence-based and factual behavioural indicators of targeted violence, and threat management is employed to mitigate these behaviours of concern.1 To that end, we introduced the eight proximal warning signs of the Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol (TRAP-18), a structured professional judgment instrument developed by Dr. Reid Meloy.2 This month’s article expands on that discussion by introducing the 10 distal characteristics of the TRAP-18.

Distal characteristics

1. Personal grievance and moral outrage – personal grievance is often associated with a major loss in love or work, triggering feelings of anger, humiliation, and reprehension. Moral outrage is typically a vicarious identification with a group which has suffered, even though the individual may have not shared the experience directly. Personal grievance and moral outrage are typically the first stages on the pathway to violence and may be likened to “the match that sparks the fire.”

2. Framed by an ideology – the presence of a belief system that justifies the extremist’s intent to act. Ideological framing may precede a personal grievance and it can often serve as an intellectual bridge to moral outrage and vicarious identification with the suffering group.

3. Failure to affiliate with an extremist group – the experience of rejecting or being rejected by a radical, extremist or other group with which the subject initially wanted to affiliate.

4. Dependence on a virtual community – use of the Internet, social media, chat rooms, emails, listservs, texts, tweets, etc., to propagate, reinforce and solidify an individual’s extremist and violent beliefs and can also facili16

BLUE LINE | April 2020

The presence of any one proximal warning behaviour indicates a warning – signifying that the case should be actively risk managed. tate learning (for example, planning and preparation).

5. Thwarting of occupational goals – a major setback or failure in a planned academic and/or occupational life course.

6. Changes in thinking and emotion – thoughts and the expression of thoughts become more strident, simplistic and absolute. Argument ceases and preaching begins. Persuasion yields to imposition of one’s beliefs on others. No critical analysis of theory or opinion and the dogmatic mantra, “don’t think, just believe,” is adopted. Emotions typically move from anger and argument to contempt and disdain for others’ beliefs, to disgust for the out-group, and ultimately a willingness to violently aggress against them. The use of violence becomes normalized and acceptable through self-righteousness and the pretense of superior belief. Humour is lost.

7. Failure of sexual-intimate pair bonding – the historic failure to form lasting sexually intimate relationships.

8. Mental illness – evidence of a major mental disorder by history or in the present. The ideology may help to reduce anxiety surrounding the mental disorder or utilize the symptoms to advance the attack (for example, suicidal thoughts and depression become motivations for martyrdom; delusions of grandeur to solidify commitment).

9. Creativity and innovation – evidence of tactical thinking “outside the box.”

The planned terrorist act is creative (a major aspect has not been done before in contemporary times) and/or innovative (may be imitated by others).

10. Criminal violence – evidence of instrumental criminal violence in the subject’s past, demonstrating a capacity and a willingness to engage in predation for a variety of reasons, such as a history of

armed robberies or planned assaults on others for material gain.

By way of analogy, Monahan and Steadman (1996) suggested that utilizing distal and proximal indicators of lone actor extremists for threat assessment and management, such as those of the TRAP-18, is similar to weather forecasting, in which one will watch a gathering storm in the distance and warn when there is potential for an imminent storm.

The presence of any cluster of distal characteristics constitutes the watch, signifying that the case should be continuously monitored and managed. The presence of any one proximal warning behaviour indicates a warning, signifying that the case should be actively risk managed. Accordingly, warning behaviours should compel a sense of urgency in those assessing and risk managing subjects of concern.3 As previously discussed, full training is required to utilize the TRAP-18 and this two-part series is provided simply as a brief overview of the TRAP indicators. Further articles and empirical literature addressing the validity of the Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol (TRAP-18) are available on Dr. Meloy’s website (drreidmeloy. com). Online training can be accessed through www.gifrinc.com.

Endnotes

1. Meloy, J. R., & Hoffmann, J. (Eds.) (2014).

International handbook of threat assessment. New York: Oxford University Press.

2. Meloy, J. R. (2017). The TRAP-18 manual version 1.0.

Toronto: Multihealth Systems (mhs.com).

3. Monahan, J. & Steadman, H. (1996) Violent storms and violent people: how meteorology can inform risk communication in mental health law. American Psychologist 51, pp. 931-938.

Dr. Peter Collins is the operational forensic psychiatrist with the Ontario Provincial Police’s Criminal Behaviour Analysis Section. His clinical appointment is with the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health and he is an associate professor with the University of Toronto. His opinions are his own and may not reflect the opinion of the OPP, University of Toronto, or CAMH. Contact him at peter.collins@utoronto.ca.

Dr. Alasdair Goodwill is a clinical and forensic psychologist with over 20 years combined experience in behavioural investigative analysis, threat assessment, forensic risk assessment, and therapeutic services. He has a clinical practice and forensic consultancy and is an associate professor at Ryerson University. Contact him at agoodwill@psych.ryerson.ca.

www.BlueLine.ca

NAME

ENROL DATE RETIRED AS

DEPLOYMENTS

LOCATION TITLE SERVICE

GUILLERMO, RAY // 2007 // CONSTABLE // KANGIQSUALLUJUAQ (GEORGE RIVER) // POLICE OFFICER KATAVIK REGIONAL POLICE FORCE // OTTAWA // ACCESS CONTROL // 2008–PRESENT //

WE KNOW THE

VALUE OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED Join Canada’s largest private sector employer of veterans

beyondservice.ca

COVER STORY

Investigational excellence with a whole lot of energy Const. Taylor Olenic of the Medicine Hat Police Service has been on the job for less than two years but he’s exceeded every expectation By Renée Francoeur

M

edicine Hat Police Const. Kinsi Steiger always comes back to one thought every time she’s working a shift with Const. Taylor Olenic: How is this kid a rookie?

“Taylor has been a fantastic addition to our team,” she says. “His work ethic and determination has sparked a fire on our crew. He makes us want to work harder and do a better job. You never hear him complain and he gives his all from start to finish.”

Olenic, who officially began his policing career with Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) in June 2018, has been selected as the 2020 recipient of Blue Line’s inaugural Rookie of the Year Award. This brand-new accolade — stepping in to take the place of our long-standing Police Leadership Award for the time being — still recognizes and encourages a standard of excellence that exemplifies “leadership as an activity not a position,” and pride

in service to the public. Its goal is to highlight promising new officers who are effectively paving the way for the policing of today and tomorrow, and making positive waves among their peers, agencies, communities and beyond.

“As soon as I saw this award I instantly thought — Taylor,” Steiger continues. “Taylor is committed to a healthy lifestyle and you will always find him in the gym or on the ice. Not only is he an amazing rookie cop but he’s also a dedicated husband and father of three young children. He has found the work/life balance and has been able to continue to do the things he loves.”

A desire to grow

Olenic, 28, actually cut his law enforcement teeth in corrections in 2014.

“I was a little stuck in terms of what I wanted to do,” he notes. “My brother-in-law is a local sheriff in Medicine Hat and he recommended I look into corrections to see how I liked that kind of work.”

88

criminal investigations with charges conducted in 2019 by Olenic

46

files concluded with charges is the average per member for the Medicine Hat Police Service – Patrol Division

“As a dispatcher, I’ve worked with many officers and Const Olenic stands out.

He works hard from the moment he gets on duty, to the moment he goes home. He has so much drive and ambition, and he operates as a much more senior officer.”

- Teresa McMullan

18

BLUE LINE | April 2020

www.BlueLine.ca

PHOTO: ERNIE FISCHHOFER, MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICE

Four years later, he was grateful to be in a field with purpose but also wanted to keep expanding his knowledge and challenging himself.

“My wife, Stephanie, and I talked about it and we knew corrections had been amazing for me but it was time for something more,” Olenic says. “I reached out to a recruitment officer, started filling out all the applications and the rest, as they say, is history.”

He entered the Medicine Hat/ Lethbridge College Police Academy in January 2018. MHPS boasts a unique, 20-week training program that runs as a co-operative between MHPS and Lethbridge College (Criminal Justice – Police Cadet Training). It’s designed to meet industry demand for officers who have mastered both hard skills, such as firearms use, and soft skills, such as interpersonal communication, ethical accountability and teamwork, according to the college. The police service provides the subject matter experts, and Lethbridge provides academic support as it relates to adult learning.

In fact, Lethbridge College received a gold Program Excellence award in 2018 at the Colleges and Institutes Canada conference for the competency-based police program.

Those six months of training as a recruit stand out as one of Olenic’s most memorable moments so far.

“I didn’t know if I would have a job at the end of it so I was really pushing myself to the max to prove myself to such an amazing organization. It’s also challenging being away from my wife and children that long... Finally receiving that offer from Chief [Andy] McGrogan was just absolutely phenomenal after working so hard.”

Top of the game

Const. Darryl Hubich, a field training officer at MHPS, has been in policing for 20 years and trained several recruits but he says he was never more impressed than when he trained Olenic in 2018.

“From early on he adapted a ‘common sense’ approach that @Blue_LineMag

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

19

PHOTO: ERNIE FISCHHOFER, MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICE

usually takes officers years to develop,” Hubich says. “Taylor is always considerate of all members of the community and clearly allowed inmates, whom he had previously dealt with, to maintain their dignity while in custody. Several times a week, Taylor will be approached by former inmates, not with distain, but often times with adoration and this frequently leads to intelligence gathering.”

43

field intelligent reports submitted

by Olenic

Olenic is astounded when he picks up the phone to learn he’s the top pick for Rookie of the Year.

“It’s absolutely a surprise,” he says, explaining how he just loves doing what he does. “It’s dynamic and it changes every day.”

In September 2019 Olenic was transferred to Patrol Team 2 with MHPS and even though he is junior member, Hubich says he is a leader on this team, “always putting his team-

THANK YOU TO THE 2020 PANEL OF JUDGES Thank you to our 2020 judging panel for your expertise, thoughtful insight, new ideas, steadfast dedication, and your helpful suggestions for lifting this new award off the ground.

Christine Silverberg is an accomplished lawyer and the Chief of the Calgary Police Service from 1995-2000.

Christine went to law school after she retired as Chief, becoming a Partner at Gowlings LLP, then joining the independent law practices at Wolch deWit Silverberg & Watts. In 2015, Christine launched her own firm, SilverbergLegal. Christine is currently a CACP and OACP member. Among her many awards, she was also selected as part of the YWCA sesquicentennial project as one of 150 women who had had a significant impact on Calgary over the last 150+ years and in recognition of positive and extensive impact on community (2017).

20

BLUE LINE | April 2020

Peter German is a former Deputy Commissioner with both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Correctional Service Canada.

He currently practices law, is a consultant on criminal justice and leadership matters, and is president of the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform at the University of British Columbia.

Prior to retiring from the RCMP, he was the Deputy Commissioner for Western and Northern Canada. He holds a doctorate in law from the University of London, and is the author of a legal text, Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering.

German was awarded both the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee medals, is an Officer of the Order of Merit of Police, and was awarded his Queen’s Counsel designation in 2017.

Armand La Barge is the retired Chief of Police of York Regional Police in Ontario. La Barge began his career there in 1973 and retired in December 2010 after serving as chief for his final eight years. La Barge is the past president of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and the Ontario Director of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the past chair of Special Olympics Ontario.

He is also the immediate past chair of St. John Ambulance Ontario and a member of the board of governors of Trent University and Sacred Heart Catholic College. La Barge was awarded the PESM with one bar, both the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals, is an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces and a Commander in the Order of St. John.

mates first” by offering to back members up or take calls in their area.

“Taylor immediately showed a very high level of potential when he started working in the Patrol Section,” adds Const. Jason Ross, who worked alongside Olenic from June 2018 to November 2019. “He has been highly motivated and shown wisdom beyond his years when dealing with files. Taylor consistently is at the top of every measurable statistical category in patrols. His common sense and communication skills surpass those of most patrol members 10-15 years senior to him.”

According to his Patrol 2 Sergeant Harley S. (Stacey) Kesler, Olenic also has a strong inclination for street level drug enforcement, fraud investigations and offender management.

“He exceeds both quantity and quality of work in comparison to his academy peer group,” Kesler explains, noting in 2019 Olenic concluded 88 criminal investigations with charges. The Medicine Hat Police Service – patrol division average per member is 46 files concluded with charges. Additionally, Olenic submitted 43 field intelligence reports in 2019; the police service average is 17 per member. He initiated 25 bail violation files through offender management tasks such as offender accountability checks and also issued 204 provincial statute violation tickets — the police service peer average is 177.

“Taylor routinely shows great decision-making skills, both in investigations and in use of force situations,” Hubich continues.

Spirit and vigour

Olenic is described as one of those gifted few with infectious energy and he spurs on his fellow members.

“Taylor always has very positive attitude and is one of the best team players in our service,” Ross says.

“While most people quickly gravitate to one area of policing and become proficient at those skills, Taylor excels at all areas of policing that he has seen, and is constantly seeking knowledge and training in the areas that he hasn’t worked in.” www.BlueLine.ca

COVER STORY

It doesn’t matter who is working with him, he can motivate any member to do extra offender accountability, says Communications Operator Teresa McMullan. “As a dispatcher, I’ve worked with many officers and Const. Olenic stands out. He works hard from the moment he gets on duty, to the moment he goes home. He has so much drive and ambition, and he operates as a much more senior officer.”

Const. Brian Harper concurs, stating Olenic is “far beyond” the level of a one-year constable.

“Taylor is a breath of fresh air and brings an enormous amount of energy every day he puts on his uniform,” he says.

PHOTO: ERNIE FISCHHOFER, MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICE

Respect and understanding

As it relates to his investigational excellence, Olenic has been an affiant of two CDSA (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act) search warrants and is active at recruiting and managing human sources, Kesler continues.

“Being able to read people is huge,” Olenic says. “Listening, understanding someone’s story goes a long way and that’s something I took away from corrections.

Some of the people we come across — whether they’re criminals or just members of the public — are having the worst time of their lives and so being able to recognize them as human beings makes all the difference in my opinion... That all leads straight back into human sources.”

It’s also a fine balancing act, he notes.

“We wear so many hats as law enforcement officers today...

Sometimes we have to put on that warrior face — for lack of a better term. You have to let people know that you’re respectful but that you’re also not going to back down from doing the hard work when it comes around to it.”

“Const. Olenic is genuine with the victims and the suspects,” McMullan says. “He shows compassion to everyone he interacts with. He treats everyone with respect.”

Speaking of balance, it’s something Olenic has mastered in terms @Blue_LineMag

25

bail violations files initiated by Olenic through offender management tasks such as offender accountability checks

204 provincial statute violation tickets issued by Olenic

of her personal life, too. As the father of seven-year-old Westyn and three-year-old twins, Lleyton and Parker, his schedule is never on snooze — especially with his wife currently enrolled fulltime in a college nursing program.

When asked where he draws his stamina from, he says, “I ask myself that question every day,” with a laugh.

“It basically comes down to being able to shut off your police officer mind when it’s time to shift into being Dad,” he says. “I think it’s so important to leave work at the door and do what you need to do as a father. Aside from that, routine is huge for me. Working out is important. I like to make sure I’m running, doing some cardio, staying nimble.”

Nurturing resources

Alberta Child and Family Services is one other group singing Olenic’s praises in Medicine Hat. Community agencies, like Children’s Services are such a valuable resource for all, Olenic stresses.

“We’re so lucky to have them by our side for those situations where we’re a bit limited... And we can call them 24/7. They’re there — even if it’s just to be an ear for us or to

provide suggestions on how to better handle a call or for information sharing,” he explains. “The main thing is to continue to nurture these types of resources because they have specialized, professional expertise in completely different fields that can only help us.”

According to Kesler, an embedded social worker advised patrol supervisors that on Aug. 13, 2019, Olenic had “assisted with a difficult matter on more than one occasion and that he showed great support to the responding case worker and supervisor.”

Additionally, as a result of Olenic’s concern for the community, he has been tasked with a leadership role in identifying problem houses and then implementing problem-oriented and community-oriented solutions, Kesler further comments. It’s working because the police service has received appreciation from neighbours that are affected by those houses.

In his short time as a member of MHPS, Olenic has displayed the qualities that every police force wants in a new officer, states Peter German, one of the awards program’s esteemed judges. “I was

“Even though he is junior member, Taylor is a leader on his patrol team and is always putting his teammates first by offering to back members up or take calls in their area.”

- Const. Darryl Hubich April 2020 | BLUE LINE

21

COVER STORY

PHOTO: ERNIE FISCHHOFER, MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICE

particularly struck by the comments from uniform and civilian staff in the department, lauding his leadership ability, teamwork, and investigative excellence. He has also demonstrated a commitment to community, working with social workers and in youth sports.”

Growing up playing hockey in the small town of Swift Current, Sask., Olenic pays it forward by coaching hockey and baseball.

“I grew up surrounded by volunteering... My mom was always involved in sports and our community. Organized sports are a huge part of who I am and where I get my work ethic from. I want to give that to my children as well.”

His favourite volunteering gig so far occurred just a few months ago — a modified floor hockey game akin to ringette with the local Special Olympics group.

“To see the smiles on their faces as they completely kicked our butts at a sport they’ve mastered... it was absolutely phenomenal,” he says. “I showed up with my hockey stick ready to go and here I’m handed what is essentially a broomstick, so we all had fun with that.”

To others seeking tips on conquering new job jitters and aspiring to be fellow future Rookies of the Year, Olenic advises you to find your niche and roll with whatever that may be.

43

field intelligent reports submitted

by Olenic

The 2020 Rookie of the Year Award will be presented at Blue Line Expo, which has been postponed to Sept. 29. More at bluelineexpo.com.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: ROOKIES OF THE YEAR The judges were all so impressed by the initiative and energy of these nominees that they wish to highlight honourable mentions alongside our winner.

“The outstanding candidates who received honourable mentions all displayed a combination of leadership acumen, community involvement and personal dedication to their new careers,” says Peter German, one of our esteemed judges, “which means they serve as role models for others and assure the rest of us that our chosen profession is in good hands.”

Congratulations and keep up the phenomenal work to all the honourable mentions:

Const. Sarah Robichaud, Kentville Police Service

22

Const. Kenneth Bigplume, Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service

BLUE LINE | April 2020

Const. Uchenna Orakwelu, Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service

Const. Dan Raymond, South Simcoe Police Service

Const. Kyle Rathgeber, Corman Park Police Service

“There’s going to be people that you work with who also have those passions for certain things in policing. Find them, look up to them and learn from them. There were so many great officers in my first year and I learned so much from them all. Keep your mind open to that kind of learning.”

As for the future, Kesler says “selfishly, I would like to have him spend more time in the patrol division to develop his leadership and analytical skills. I strongly believe that patrol work is rewarding and is quickly becoming a specialty skill in its own right. General Duty offers the opportunity for members to develop their general knowledge, lead themselves, then lead others through field training, and expands on that by temporary acting assignments as patrol sergeants. Part of the leadership development includes learning about incident command systems.”

That being said, Kesler believes this Rookie of the Year will “undoubtedly” be sought after by the Organized Crime Section/Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit and the Priority Street Crimes Unit “for his ability to cultivate human sources and provide reliable and accurate information.”

He has great capacity to build teamwork through his hard work, Kesler continues, and a unique ability to provide real-time intelligence to coworkers.

Olenic says he does indeed have his eye on moving into covert operations or the organized crime section one day.

“I’m interested in taking more drugs off the streets. They have such detrimental effects on our community,” he says. “Even back when I was in corrections, fentanyl and the like was a growing concern then.”

But for now, he’s interested in continuing to expand his knowledge base, signing up for whatever seminars and online courses that he can, as offered through MHPS. “I’m extremely happy with where I’m at.” www.BlueLine.ca

D E N PO

T S O P 24th ANNUAL CHIEF OF POLICE DINNER April 30, 2020

|

For tickets, call 416-808-7261

|

ChiefOfPoliceDinner.com

LEADERSHIP

Committed to community, wildlife and beyond

B

lue Line is proud to present the 2020 Lifetime in Law Enforcement Achievement Award to Conservation Officer Robert Thibodeau of Cambridge-Narrows, N.B., who has been serving his community and greater environment through steadfast work and volunteering for more than 30 years.

This award, now in its third year, is presented to an individual who has shown exceptional leadership, dedication and passion towards their work in law enforcement for more than 15 years. It is open to any law enforcement officer outside of a traditional policing agency — as such it targets public safety organizations like Canada Border Services Agency, Correctional Service Canada, conservation groups, etc.

Thibodeau, known as Bob to colleagues, family and friends, says he wouldn’t change his career for the world.

“I like the comradery with the other members and the trust we have in each other... I’m a team guy” he tells Blue Line, a nod to all the years he also coached minor hockey and youth sports. He adds 24

BLUE LINE | April 2020

that if it wasn’t for the support of his wife, Jackie, and their children, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

“Bob could be off work and he knows that a particular officer is working alone,” says Sgt. Clint Reicker, Thibodeau’s supervisor for the last six to seven years, “or if Bob finishes his shift and knows, for example, I’m working a later shift alone... he literally has his portable on and is listening until I say I’m 10-35 (off duty) and home safe, which is really something. We all look out for one another but Bob goes above and beyond.”

Thibodeau also credits the path he chose to a Saint John Police officer, Det. Donald Dwyer, who was his mentor when he was working as a civilian for the Saint John Police Force in the early 1980s, serving as a youth liaison.

“Long before they came out with the term community-based policing, Donnie was already doing that kind of work,” Thibodeau says. “We’d do school programs together. He’s the guy who showed me how important it was to be active in your

community, to listen, to work with people... because in law enforcement, if you are able to communicate with all kinds of people, make contacts, that will only help you down the road.”

It was a life lesson he’s continued to live by every day since — and it shows.

“He takes his job as a peace officer to heart, to serve and protect the community to the best of his abilities every day. He is one of the most caring, humble men I know, and I am proud to call him my friend,” writes Deputy Sheriff Jason Henderson with the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety, in a letter submitted with Thibodeau’s nomination package. “I personally have worked in law enforcement for approximately 20 years in various capacities. I have worked with hundreds of very fine officers, some of whom I would consider to be the best people and officers I have ever met; however, Bob stands out above them all. He is truly an inspiration to us all.”

Reicker concurs. “Bob is dedicated and very flexible... Regardless of what I ask of him, he is always willing to do it. I can call on www.BlueLine.ca

PHOTO: SGT. CLINT REICKER

Conservation officer wins Lifetime in Law Enforcement Achievement Award By Renée Francoeur

him anytime of the day or night and he will always answer; and in this day and age that’s a rare thing. Bob is committed to community and in particular to young people; he is a hunter education (HE) instructor. He ends up doing the majority of the HE classes we are called upon to teach, which, to be honest, isn’t one of the more popular duties we have but Bob loves to do it.”

Today, Thibodeau works out of Region 3 East, Conservation Enforcement for the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety. It’s a vast patrol area that spans from Saint John, up to Sussex, out through the Fundy National Park, out to Hillsborough, across to Riverview, then through to Salisbury and down nearly to Fredericton.

The father of three and grandfather of 10 is heavily involved with New Brunswick Crime Stoppers and the Cambridge-Narrows neighbourhood watch program, where he received recognition from the RCMP commanding officer of “J” Division. You can bet on finding him strolling alongside Smokey the Bear, too, every summer during community celebrations, talking to the public about fish and wildlife enforcement.

However, once upon a time, it wasn’t all boat patrols, pursuing individuals with Canada-wide arrest warrants through the woods at night and safeguarding endangered salmon. Thibodeau actually moved first into corrections after his time as a civilian with Saint John Police Force.

“They were looking for correctional officers at the time and after some communication with different police officers, I thought what better way to learn about people who were on a certain path, perhaps we could say a path of criminality?”

Thibodeau says. “So, I was hired at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre and I stayed there for about a year before becoming an auxiliary member with the New Brunswick Highway Patrol.”

It was there at the “old Black River Jail,” as it was called then, he learned how to read people and about how far a little respect can go.

“I spent probably 90 per cent of my time right in the cell block. This allowed me to keep a good handle on what was going on and I could pick up on trouble if it was brewing by the way the inmates were reacting. At the same time, the inmates came to understand me a little bit... I’d give them time to compose themselves when I’d take them to make their phone calls to loved ones. And they would actually show me respect in return, when there was a ruckus @Blue_LineMag

“We’re often dealing with people with high-powered rifles so you have to keep your train of thought and you have to react in a millisecond.”

- Conservation Officer Robert Thibodeau

and I responded, they’d just stop it.”

After the birth of their first child, Thibodeau and Jackie left Saint John for Cambridge-Narrows, where he met Jim McFarland with the Department of Natural Resources in the Coles Island District.

Together, they launched the village’s first sports program, a softball league.

“An opening came up at Coles Island and Jim talked me into applying... we were called game wardens in those days,” Thibodeau says.

That was 1989 and it led to a career that turned into a lifelong passion.

At the time, the deer population in Coles Island was thick and poaching was a problem for the game wardens.

“I had the privilege of working with Jim, Gary Scott and Randy Vail. They put a lot of effort into stopping incidents of poaching at night... The federal fisheries officer, Jim Kierstead, would come up and help us with his dog. As a younger member, I got to run with his dog, who was called Nicholas then. It was exciting; running through the woods at night, just going by what he was smelling. You know 99 per cent of the time, at the end that track, you’ll be dealing with someone with a gun.”

Conservation officers at the time were armed with just a .38 Smith & Wesson Special and they never knew exactly what they’d be running into, he elaborates.

“We’re often dealing with people with high-powered rifles so you have to keep your train of thought and you have to react in a millisecond.”

Thibodeau also spent 14 years as a use of force instructor, using his own vacation time to travel to the Atlantic Police Academy on Prince Edward Island to teach new conservation officer cadets. He was com-

mitted to this because the main goal is to ensure all members have the techniques and training so they can get safely home every night, he explains.

“The other big advantage of being an instructor is being able to travel the province. Stationed way down in the southern end of the province, I wouldn’t usually have that opportunity. This means you can build some key contacts and it’s easier to share information.”

In 2018, Thibodeau received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers from the Governor General of Canada. He was recognized for his work with youth law enforcement organizations, including Teens Against Drunk Driving and Citizens on Patrol.

“Many of the youth are too intimidated to come up and approach an officer so I try to be down to earth with them. I give many of them my cell phone number and tell them it’s always on... I do get quite a few calls from youth with some good questions and those turn into long-lasting relationships.”

But what is his proudest moment?

Watching his son, Joshua, graduate and follow in his footsteps in 2010.

“He told me, ‘Dad I always wanted to do the job you do... He is so hardworking; he graduated with honours.”

Josh now works out of Region 3 South and is an acting corporal conservation officer.

As for the future, Thibodeau says he might hang up his hat in May 2021.

“I always tell Bob I can count on him to be the voice of reason in our group and that he will definitely be missed when he eventually retires,” Reicker says. “In general, Bob is a well-respected conservation officer and he is well known throughout the province. He is one of the ‘old school’ guys who has a lot of experience and knowledge, which he doesn’t mind passing along to the newer COs on our team.”

Retired or not, Thibodeau says you can bet he’ll still be outdoors every day, just keeping an eye on things.

“Even when I retire, I know myself personally enough to say that... Well, let’s just say, my message to my fellow members is that while you’re out there in the woods, doing your jobs, don’t be surprised if you turn around one day and see some old fellow sitting on the back of a horse,” Thibodeau says with a chuckle. “At the end of the day, I think I’m like a lot of people in law enforcement when it comes to retiring — I’d like to just saddle up and ride off into the sunset.”

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

25

HEADER RECRUITMENT

Interviewing tips, building resilience and more at Career Expo

26

BLUE LINE | April 2020

fire and security, invited two volunteers to the stage to answer questions they would likely face in a real job interview.

The Career Expo was a great opportunity to network with some of the best in the industry, said Luke Watt, a show attendee and a provincial offences officer with Commissionaires. He noted he was specifically seeking to gain insight into how to stand out as a future applicant to police services.

“A highlight of the day for our students was hearing from Toronto Police community engagement officer Randal Arsenault, who is famous for his work with social media engagement,” added Aidan D’Souza with Seneca College.

The event was hosted and presented by Blue Line, Canadian Security magazine, Canadian Firefighter magazine, Firehall Book Store and Firehall Forum. Thank you to all the attendees for sharing the day with us, the esteemed mentors for generously giving their time and See more exhibitors for their conphotos and tinued support. Special videos from the thanks to keynote sponsor event at bit.

Commissionaires. ly/3a53J89.

PHOTOS: PJ BOYD, R. FRANCOEUR, AIDAN D’SOUZA

T

he 2nd Annual Security • Police • Fire Career Expo hosted approximately 200 security, fire and police professionals as well as college students enrolled in police foundations and related programs on March 3 in Mississauga, Ont. Students were able to meet with mentors from all three disciplines who dispensed advice and shared wisdom from their professional careers. For law enforcement questions, students sat down to speak with Windsor Police Service Sr. Const. Neil McEachrane, Barrie Police Insp. Peter Dewsnap, Randall Arsenault, a primary response officer with Toronto Police Service; Const. Mark Herwartz with the Waterloo Regional Police Service; Deputy Chief of Police Lucie Tremblay with VIA Rail Canada; Jo-Ann Savoie, a staff sergeant with the Hamilton Police Service; and York Regional Police Supt.

Cecile Hammond. Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah also popped by in the afternoon to offers tips on climbing ladders and making a difference.

Later, a mock interview panel, made up of three established professionals from police,

www.BlueLine.ca

@Blue_LineMag

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

27

TECHNOLOGY

BY WILL MAZGAY

GIS systems: Location, location, location Whether it’s tracking down criminals, measuring crime hotspots, or helping public and private organizations manage risk, location software provides important insights

G

eographic information systems (GIS), software platforms that collect, manage and analyze geospatial data, are increasingly being used as tools by law enforcement and security organizations.

Securing the public

Ian Williams is the head of analytics and innovation at the Toronto Police Service and a course instructor at Ryerson University, where he teaches GIS and analytics.

He says for public safety organizations, the goal is to take the information presented by these systems and analyze it so that patterns can be identified and actions can be taken.

An example of this is resource allocation: “If there’s a higher prevalence of robberies in certain parts of the city, we would strategically deploy around that.” Williams continues, “If there’s something occurring, where’s my closest unit, or units, and what’s going to happen if we assign multiple units? Is that going to impact service availability elsewhere?”

Jeff Hughes is the district manager, defence and security, for Esri Canada, part of a global GIS software giant. He says GIS data can help prioritize security workflow and responses.

“Data can be geofenced to provide the ability to assign or reassign work, based on location.... We know that we need to visit 50 locations; let’s prioritize, based on spatial information, which locations we’re going to secure or inspect first.”

Williams says GIS are valuable tools for searches, like manhunts or for missing persons. “We can co-ordinate that search area from a command centre, we can deploy resources while they’re on the ground and completing search grids. They can actually check off ‘I’ve been to all the houses in this search grid, that’s detailed, audited, logged,’ so in real-time the operations centre can co-ordinate which spaces still need to be searched.”

In addition to GIS being used as public safety tools, public and private organizations can turn to GIS to protect their assets.

“Many organizations gravitate towards a location intelligence approach. For risk management, certainly, municipalities are 28

BLUE LINE | April 2020

A Toronto Police Service display indicates calls for service over Toronto and neighbouring municipalities. IMAGE COURTESY TORONTO POLICE SERVICE

“Software-as-a-service really opens up opportunities for municipalities and individual organizations, to not only get access to managing geospatial data in the cloud but also to collaborate amongst themselves or between private and public agencies.”

in strategic and risk analysis or risk assessment of your operations.”

Williams says that for security applications, a lot of tools, widgets and apps are being designed around GIS engines: “A lot of them have an interesting workflow integration. So, you could use one of them to manage incidents, but you could also connect that into a planning module and they’re all technically distinct applications but they work together... So the data produced in one to track your incidents or requests for service, you can move that into a planning tool that helps you understand what those needs will be for tomorrow or next week or this time next year.”

- Jeff Hughes, Esri Canada

When it comes to how these systems are delivered, Williams says that currently, on-premises installations are more popular, but there is a move towards softwareas-a-service (SaaS) models, and in some cases, organizations are opting for a hybrid approach, especially municipalities.

“Most municipalities that have GIS technology, they’re going to be on-prem.”

But, “often what they’ll do is serve up content to the public or other users through web interfaces, a variety of application formats.” However, moving forward, “I’d expect a lot more of that to be software-as-a-service-based, the implementations being either completely cloud or hybrid... I think a lot of organizations

very interested from a public works perspective; large utilities are very interested in understanding their networks and their assets for not only their immediate risk but long-term asset valuation,” Hughes says.

“Increasingly we’re also seeing commercial applications, specifically in insurance for doing risk assessment,” he continues.

Hughes says that regardless of the application or industry, “it’s understanding your assets, whether those are physical assets, mobile assets or personnel. Having situational awareness of those dynamic assets and static assets really helps not only in tactical security situations but also

Delivery through the cloud

www.BlueLine.ca

will be hybrid for some time and then it will be organization-specific to determine if it’s pure cloud or not.”

Williams says that for the Toronto Police Service, “all of our public-facing content is cloud-based, and the applications are all SaaS from what the public has access to in that regard. But we have almost an identical (on-prem) platform internally as well... So, we’ll be hybrid for some time I would imagine.”

Hughes says software-as-a-service is “really accessible,” and “it has a low bar of entry for lots of organizations,” especially ones that traditionally haven’t invested in GIS. “Software-as-a-service really opens up opportunities for municipalities and individual organizations, to not only get access to managing geospatial data in the cloud but also to collaborate amongst themselves or between private and public agencies,” he continues.

Hughes also explains that data like that obtained from sensors and alarms, “often necessitates the hybrid or fully online

“Our frontline people expect that there’s apps in their hand that are giving them access to all of this information, and equally at the senior levels of the organization, they expect those apps to be available to their people but also to themselves. It’s really crossing that tactical-strategic line.... It’s only going to grow from here.”

- Ian Williams, Toronto Police Service capability to move data around between devices and across networks.”

Whether organizations opt for on-premise, cloud or hybrid GIS platforms, what isn’t up for debate is that they are becoming increasingly essential to public safety and risk management.

Williams says, “Our frontline people expect that there’s apps in their hand that are giving them access to all of this information, and equally at the senior levels of the organization, they expect those apps to be available to their people but also to

themselves. It’s really crossing that tactical-strategic line.... It’s only going to grow from here.”

This story appeared in the January/February 2020 edition of SP&T News. Find it here: www.sptnews.ca/digital.

Will Mazgay is the editor of Canadian Manufacturing.com, Cleantech Canada, and the former associate editor of Canadian Security and SP&T News.

PHOTO: LONGUEUIL POLICE SERVICE

SPECIAL UPDATE

NEW DATE AND LOCATION

September 29, 2020

Bingemans Conference Centre • Kitchener, ON

FREE TO ATTEND Hosted by

in partnership with

NEW THIS YEAR

Training + sessions

Register today at bluelineexpo.ca

Thank you to our generous sponsors

@Blue_LineMag

BLEXPO2020_7x5 ad.indd 1

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

29

2020-03-18 5:23 PM

CASE LAW

BY MIKE NOVAKOWSKI

Peace bond is an instrument of preventative, not penal, justice: Hearsay is admissible

T

he Yukon Court of Appeal has decided that the usual rule of evidence applicable in a criminal trial that hearsay evidence is presumptively inadmissible does not apply to peace bond proceedings. In R. v.

Schafer, 2020 YKCA 3, the defendant, who had a long and serious criminal record, was released from custody in B.C. after serving a sentence for break and enter and sexual assault with a weapon. On his return to Whitehorse, he was arrested at the airport and brought before a Yukon Territorial Court judge for a s. 810.2 Criminal Code peace bond hearing.

Section 810.2 allows a judge to order a peace bond (recognizance) requiring a defendant to keep the peace and comply with other conditions imposed where, on the evidence adduced, the informant has reasonable grounds to fear that the defendant will commit a serious personal injury offence. Serious personal injury offences include sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon/cause bodily harm, aggravated sexual assault, or an indictable offence punishable by 10 years imprisonment or more that involves the use or attempted use of violence against a person, or conduct that endangers the life or safety of another person.

A police officer, acting as the informant in this case, adduced hearsay evidence based on risk assessment reports and psychological assessments conducted by Corrections Canada personnel. Relying on these documents, the officer testified that he feared, on reasonable grounds, Schafer would commit a serious personal injury offence as defined in the Criminal Code. These reports and source documents, however, were not provided to the judge. Nevertheless, the judge imposed a s. 810.2 recognizance for two years on Schafer with conditions, including abstinence from alcohol, drugs or other intoxicating substances.

Schafer appealed this order to the Yukon Supreme Court arguing, in part, that the Territorial Court judge erred by admitting hearsay evidence at the proceeding. The appeal judge rejected this argument. She concluded that hearsay evidence was ad-

30

BLUE LINE | April 2020

“An application for a peace bond seeks a recognizance intended to prevent future offending, not a finding of guilt for a particular offence.”

- Justice Harris

missible and the usual rules of evidence applicable in criminal trials do not apply to peace bond hearings.

Schafer appealed once more, this time to the Yukon’s top court. He again submitted that hearsay evidence was presumptively inadmissible on a peace bond application under s. 810.2 unless such hearsay was admissible under a recognized exception to the rule or the principled approach to hearsay. In Schafer’s view, the only evidence that is admissible in a peace bond hearing is evidence that would be admissible at a criminal trial and there was nothing in s. 810.2 that displaces the application of the usual rules of evidence.

Peace bond hearing

“A peace bond is an instrument of preventive justice,” said Justice Harris, speaking for a unanimous three-member panel of the Yukon Court of Appeal. “An application for a peace bond seeks a recognizance intended to prevent future offending, not a finding of guilt for a particular offence.”

Because of this, “the nature of a peace bond hearing, as legislated in the Code, requires a flexible approach to the rules of evidence that allows a judge to rely on credible and trustworthy hearsay to determine if he or she is satisfied that the informant’s fear is reasonable.”

In ruling that hearsay evidence is admissible at a peace bond hearing — much like other circumstances involving a reasonable grounds standard such as search warrants, wiretap authorizations and applications for firearms prohibitions — Harris noted the following:

• “The informant (whether a peace officer or a person concerned about personal safety) is not required to act on the basis of evidence admissible at trial.

The issue for the judge is whether there are reasonable grounds for the subjective fear, not whether the facts underlying that fear can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. In these circumstances, Parliament cannot be taken to have intended that the judge strictly apply the rules of evidence. This latter point is reinforced by noting that the test for granting a peace bond is no different if the application is made by a person concerned about personal safety. It would defeat the purpose of the provisions if such a person could not rely on hearsay evidence to justify a reasonable fear of harm, but could only secure the protection of a peace bond on strictly admissible evidence.” [para. 43] • “An informant in a peace bond hearing is not required to act solely on the basis of evidence admissible at a trial; it is sufficient to do so on the basis of evidence establishing reasonable grounds.

A judge must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for the informant’s fear. The role of the judge is to assess whether the grounds tendered in support of the stated fear are objectively reasonable and sufficient to justify the imposition of a recognizance with terms and conditions. In my view, hearsay evidence that is credible and trustworthy is relevant to that question.” [para. 47] • “Hearsay evidence is admissible, if it is probative of the existence of reasonable grounds, unless the section evinces an intention to exclude it. Just as the phrase ‘all relevant evidence’ does not exclude relevant hearsay evidence, the use of the phrase ‘evidence adduced’ does not evince an intention to exclude it. Finally, it is for the judge to assess the weight of the evidence and its frailties including any explanation www.BlueLine.ca

OFF THE SHELF

Prairie Five-0

By Dave Peskor; 2020, 200 pages

“An informant in a peace bond hearing is not required to act solely on the basis of evidence admissible at a trial...”

- Justice Harris

provided for not making the best evidence available.” [para. 48] • “It is important to emphasize that the hearsay evidence should be in a form that allows a judge to assess whether it is credible and trustworthy. I do not think such evidence is presumptively inadmissible given the test to meet before a peace bond is ordered. Whether the subjective belief is objectively reasonable, based on credible and trustworthy evidence, is a matter that falls to be decided by the hearing judge, weighing the evidence.” [para. 49]

ISBN: 978-0-22882-548-7

In a Hill Street Blues meets Barney Miller episodic style, Dave Peskor brings to life the everyday adventures we have all experienced in one form or another — whether policing a small town or a large city.

Prairie Five-O takes the reader from start to finish through Peskor’s own career and follows those he worked with as well as the citizens they encountered along the way. Starting with his first shift and the classic “new officer staring at him or herself in the mirror” moment, Peskor’s story telling skills and innate ability to find humour everywhere will leave the reader laughing.

Each story is written in a way that will resonate with all police officers, who will find themselves saying, “Yes, been there, lived that.”

Led by witty-styled titles from “The Stake Out” to “Radar Love,” each short story accurately portrays the human side of policing that gives those in public safety some of their fondest memories.

Prairie Five-O is a book every officer, retired or currently working in the field, should have on their book shelf.

- DAVE MAZE, RETIRED MEMBER, LETHBRIDGE POLICE SERVICE, AND CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL OF JUSTICE STUDIES, LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE

Led by witty-styled titles from “The Stake Out” to “Radar Love,” each short story accurately portrays the human side of policing.

DALHOUSIE’S CERTIFICATE IN POLICE LEADERSHIP

Become the leader you know you can be

• “In my view, hearsay evidence is presumptively admissible in order for a judge to assess whether reasonable grounds exist for the informant’s subjective fear that a defendant will commit a serious personal injury offence.” [para. 60] As a consequence, the Court of Appeal found that the standard of proof on a peace bond hearing is whether the judge is satisfied by the evidence adduced, on a balance of probabilities, that the informant has reasonable grounds to fear a defendant will commit a serious personal injury offence. Hearsay evidence is presumptively admissible at the hearing for this purpose. The judge will then determine the weight to be given to the hearsay evidence in assessing the objective reasonableness of the informant’s subjective fear.

Schafer’s appeal was dismissed.

Built for modern policing, our online courses, designed and delivered by academics along with industry experts and leaders in policing, give you the knowledge and skills to advance in your profession.

Learn from the innovator in quality police education for over 25 years.

FALL TERM STARTS SEPTEMBER 8

Mike Novakowski is Blue Line’s case law columnist.

DAL.CA/POLICELEADERSHIP

CCE

College of Continuing Education

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

@Blue_LineMag BL_Dalhousie_March20.indd 1

31

2020-01-15 9:28 AM

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Find more product info at www.BlueLine.ca/products

Samsung brings its rugged Galaxy Tab Active Pro to Canadian workforce

Wilson Electronics’ vehicular cellular signal booster: the Drive Reach

Wilson Electronics has launched the weBoost Drive Reach, an in-vehicle cellular signal booster designed to provide solid cellular connectivity in cars, trucks and RVs. Compatible with all mobile phones and wireless carriers in North America, it allows users to enjoy “strong call quality, fewer dead zones and faster data upload/download speeds while on the road,” according to the company. The Drive Reach boasts uplink output power capabilities of 29.5 dBm and 50 dB gain. Priced at $499.99 U.S., all boosters have a two-year warranty. www.weboost.com

Samsung Electronics Canada has announced the Canadian availability of the Galaxy Tab Active Pro, designed for workers in industries such as oil/field but also in the public services (police/utility). Its “ability to withstand excessive pressure, temperatures, vibrations and drops has been tested against military-specification MIL-STD-810G,” the company says, and the product also features IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. The Tab Active Pro has wet touch mode and also includes an IP68-certified water and dust resistant S Pen. Additionally, the tablet’s glove mode provides greater flexibility by allowing the touchscreen to be used, even while wearing work gloves, Samsung explains. Other features include a 10.1-inch display—allegedly, the largest yet for the ruggedized business tablet line from Samsung—and a replaceable battery that can power the device for up to 15 hours. www.samsung.com/ca

Prod360 distributing Bio Bag

The Bio Bag was developed and patented by SEMA World R&D 24 hours after the first anthrax attack in the United States. However, the hermetic pouch provides chemical and biological protection of mail room material, according to Prod360, the Canadian distributor. “The bag allows one to safely handle and open suspicious mail,” Prod360 continues. It adds it is a flexible, transparent bag that is easy to move. “It can be used to secure doses of fentanyl in connection with the opioid crisis.” The bag is also microbe-resistant, highenergy radiation resistant and measures two feet by two feet. Different sizes of the Bio Bag can also be manufactured to suit specific inquiries. www.prod360.ca

Armament Systems & Procedures’ Transport Kit is an award winner

INKAS releases upgraded Sentry Civilian edition APC

INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing has released the upgraded version of its Sentry Civilian — the civilian-grade, fully-customizable, armouring optional, heavy-duty truck.

The INKAS Sentry Civilian offers the “SWAT” vehicle experience, however, in a civilian-grade package designed to be a daily driver. The Sentry Civilian is based on the Ford F-550 platform and features an “optimized” suspension system, installed heavy-duty brakes and reinforced key mechanical components. The vehicle’s exterior design has been upgraded with front and rear spoilers, a modified rear bumper, and illuminated steps that add a refined finish, according to the company. inkasarmored.com/sentry-civilian

32

BLUE LINE | April 2020

This kit integrates with the company’s rigid ultra cuffs and can be applied, adjusted and removed while the subject remains safely restrained at all times. It is the winner of the NAUMD Public Safety Product Innovation Award. The belt version is ideal for applications like aviation security, where weight is a consideration, or courtroom use, where the noise of a chain might be undesirable. The chain version is best for corrections use. www.asp-usa.com

Paragon Software releases APFS SDK Community Edition for forensic experts

Paragon Software Group has released Paragon APFS (Apple file system) SDK (software development kit) Community Edition — a free source code on Github that opens access to the regularly updated SDK libraries for Windows, macOS, Linux, RTOS, and UEFI environments. Paragon APFS SDK Community Edition grants read access to APFS-formatted drives, solving interoperability and cross-platform communication problems, empowering applications with connectivity to APFS-storage media on non-Apple platforms. The SDK license is targeted towards forensic experts and others who need read access to APFS-formatted data. In forensic computing and, especially, in the field of post-mortem data retrieval, the reconstruction of lost or deleted files is of key importance for investigators, the company states. APFS is the new Apple file system used on all latest iOS and starting with macOS High Sierra devices. APFS SDK Community Edition is one of the new forensic file recovery methodologies for APFS. www.paragon-software.com

www.BlueLine.ca

MARKETPLACE

Check it out at BLUE | LINKS • www.BlueLine.ca/referrals

Media relations & crisis communications training Strategic communications services & consulting 20 years’ law enforcement communications experience

Serving those who serve

www.dutycallscommunications.ca

BL_Jan_Crimestoppers.indd 1

BL_IPMBA_Feb20.indd 1 2020-03-09 1:09 PM

2018-12-11 2:11 PM BL_DutyCalls_April20.indd 1

TORONTO POLICE MUSEUM AND GIFT SHOP Custom rings and gifts, handcrafted in Canada since 1993 for police officers and police organizations across the country

PRIDEINSERVICE.COM 1-800-535-9735 sales@prideinservice.com

Are you receiving

Pride in service.indd 1

News Week?

2020-01-13 9:56 AM

Writes in EXTREME conditions!

Museum hours Mon-Fri 9-4 • 416-808-7020 Gift shop hours Mon- Fri 9-3:30 • 416-808-7024 40 College St Toronto, ON www.torontopolice.on.ca

Blue Line’s MARKETPLACE is designed to help you promote — 2019-11-05 11:38 BL_JuneJuly_ZebraPen.indd 1 2019-05-14 2:22 PM 2019-10-16 10:51 AM IN PRINT AND ONLINE — business and employment opportunuties, products or services to Canadian police and law enforcement professionals

2018-07-12 2:12 PMPolice Museum ad.indd 11 BL_Dec19_TorontoPoliceMuseum.indd BL_MK_Toronto

CALL TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE IN BLUE LINE’S MARKETPLACE

Subscribe today! www.blueline.ca

BLUE LINE NEWSWEEK

BLUE LINE MARKETPLACE

Cost: $2,050 for 10 issues

(includes 2 free ads in Blue Line News Week) Janice Eaton • jeaton@annexbusinessmedia.com • M: 416-527-0191

@Blue_LineMag

April 2020 | BLUE LINE

33

BACK OF THE BOOK

BY MARY CIANCHETTI AND PIERRE POIRIER

A national standard is needed for workplace fatigue

I

just feel tired. enforcement and paramedic services, They’re words that ring true to so confront situations on a daily basis that many of us. In fact, most of us have most of us could never imagine. First reprobably uttered them at some sponders also face unique health and point in the last week or month — and safety issues such as shift work and exchances are we associate that drained, tended work days, as well as periods of burnt-out feeling with our work. intense psychological stress or trauma.

In 2019, for the first time, the World That’s why the Paramedic Association Health Organization (WHO) recognized of Canada is currently working with CSA “burn-out” as a syndrome that can Group to develop a national be medically diagnosed – an “oc- Without a standard on fatigue risk cupational phenomenon” affect- standard management for first reing the health of workers around definition of sponders, in parallel with this what the world. new research.

According to WHO, there are workplace The diagnosis of mental three different “dimensions” of fatigue means disorders among public safety burn-out — feelings of energy in Canada, it’s personnel is four times higher depletion or exhaustion; increased difficult to than the general population. mental distance from one’s job, or even say how We know that the impact of feelings of negativism or cynicism pervasive the fatigue on first responders related to one’s job; and reduced problem is can also affect neurocognitive and professional efficacy. performance, which in turn impossible to can endanger not only their Sound familiar?

With unprecedented levels of solve it. own personal health and workplace fatigue being attributsafety, but also the health and ed to modern day work, CSA Group felt safety of their fellow responders and the strongly that it was worth exploring the public they serve. The stakes are high and specific landscape in Canada and whether the need is evident. a national standard could help address the As we continue this work, we will seek issue and improve workplaces across the to define what workplace fatigue means in country. the complex environment where first reThe results of that research were re- sponders do their job. And, we will identify leased in November 2019 in a report titled what best practices employers should be Workplace Fatigue: Current Landscape and following to protect employees and reduce Future Considerations. What we found was exposure to fatigue-related hazards. that professional burnout is affecting a In 2018, CSA Group introduced a psychwide range of jobs, workplaces and indus- ological health and safety standard to adtries in our country, and there is no stan- dress the specific needs of paramedic dard definition or management practice in service organizations. A standard for place to address this issue. Moreover, workplace fatigue risk management for without a standard definition of what first responders will build on that work. workplace fatigue means in Canada, it’s It’s clear a gap does exist in Canada difficult to even say how pervasive the when it comes to how fatigue is being problem is and impossible to solve it. addressed in the workplace. The creation The research identified that there is cer- of a national standard for workplace fatainly an opportunity for national standards tigue could address needs not being met that address workplace fatigue to make a by existing legislation to protect the health real and positive difference to workers in and livelihood of all Canadian workers, this country. It’s an important first step. regardless of where they work.

But we also know that in some workplaces, the potential consequences of fa- Mary Cianchetti is the president of standards at CSA tigue can be a matter of life and death. Group and Pierre Poirier is the executive director of First responders, including workers in law the Paramedic Association of Canada.

34

BLUE LINE | April 2020

BLUE LINKS Advertisers Directory

Discover more about these law enforcement suppliers at www.BlueLine.ca/referrals Axon Public Safety Canada

12,13

CATF

11

Chief of Police Dinner

23

Commissionaires

17

Dalhousie University

31

Duty Calls

33

FCA Canada Inc.

2

FSET Inc.

35

GM Fleet

36

Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers

33

International Police Mountain Bike Association

33

Pride in Service

33

Sigma Safety Group

7

Toronto Police Museum & Gift Shop

33

Zebra Pen Canada Corp.

33

Interested in advertising with Blue Line?

Reach the law enforcement community across Canada with an ad in Blue Line and/or in Blue Line News Week, our weekly eNewsletter. Contact our advertising account manager to book your space today: Janice Eaton: 416-527-0191 jeaton@annexbusinessmedia.com

Visit blueline.ca for the latest news, stories, products, videos, photo galleries and industry events

www.BlueLine.ca

Infrastructure, Mobility and Managed Services for Law Enforcement.

Desktop as a Service (DaaS) Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Digital Evidence Management (DEM) Unified Communications (UC) NCACR Policy & Compliance CALEA Accreditation

www.fset.ca 833.321.FSET

info@fset.ca

A THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO OnStar is honoured to work with first responders. Your brave dedication keeps our communities safe. But your own safety is just as important.

THAT’S WHY WE’RE OFFERING YOU ONSTAR AT A SPECIAL PRICE – AS WELL AS $1,000* OFF almost any new 2020 or 2021 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac.

Learn more at onstar.com/ca/firstresponders

All Canadian Forces personnel and active Canadian First Responders (including spouses) will receive a $1,000 bonus (tax inclusive) towards the purchase, lease or finance of an eligible new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac vehicle delivered between April 1st, 2020 to January 4th, 2021 at participating dealerships across Canada. Excludes Chevrolet Bolt EV and Volt. Eligible individuals include: Active, reserve and veteran military personnel, firefighters, police, EMT/paramedics and 911 dispatchers. Must present proof of present or former membership in the Canadian Forces or valid proof of Canadian First Responder employment/government issued ID to be eligible. GM Canada may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details.