BLUE LINE CANADA’S LAW ENFORCEMENT MAGAZINE
www.BlueLine.ca
MARCH 2021
COVER STORY
Mental Health Calls
Unintended consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic p.14 OUT OF THE COLD
TECHNOLOGY
Foul play suspected in Hamilton cold case p. 8
Tracking domestic violence perpetrators p. 22
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
Contents
18 March 2021
Columns
Volume 33 Number 3
4 10 12 13 22 23 26
Features COVER STORY
14 Mental health Calls
As the second wave of the pandemic persists, the psychological toll of the lockdown has become increasingly clear. Newly released data from police and mental health professionals show a surge in mental health needs that experts say will persist for years. By Brieanna Charlebois
18 A case for an integrated interdisciplinary approach
The challenges law enforcement faced over the past year has resulted in a collaborative commitment from police leaders across Canada. Departments are now actively working toward a collective goal of reducing conflict during police-civilian encounters, minimizing use of force and preventing injury. By Lori Horne
Editor’s Commentary Q&A Behavioural Sciences Holding the Line Technology Case Law Back of the Book
Departments 5 5 8 9 9 24 24 25 26
By the Numbers News Cold Case Dispatches Calendar Off the Shelf Product Showcase Marketplace Blue Links
COVER PHOTO: SOLARSEVEN / ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS / GETTY IMAGES
20 Policing and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Policing is evolving at a rapid pace and officers must stay updated on changes to legislation, technology and social issues to be proficient in their role. One of the critical health and social issues impacting society is prenatal alcohol exposure, also known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. By Peter Wigand
10 @Blue_LineMag
20 22 March 2021 | BLUE LINE
3
EDITOR’S COMMENTARY BY BRIEANNA CHARLEBOIS
www.BlueLine.ca
Better together
M
arch marks a full year since “Teamwork makes the dream work”. It’s the novel coronavirus dis- a saying (first attributed to American John rupted everyday life in Maxwell) that we’ve likely all heard at one Canada. While it’s been point in our lives—I know it was a major challenging for all, it also provided an theme in my collegiate soccer days—but it’s opportunity for reflection. It’s given many also become integral to modern-day poliof us the needed time to examine various cing. For example, to combat many of the aspects of our lives to determine which aforementioned mental health calls, many departments teamed up with parts we’d like to resume “once Organizations their local Canadian Mental this is all over”. It’s undeniably been a tough and governing Health Association to provide an integrated approach when reyear for law enforcement. Organ- bodies have sponding. This month’s Q&A izations and governing bodies begun features Inspector Derek West of have begun releasing 2020 data, releasing the Thunder Bay Police Service, much of which suggests and 2020 data, sheds light on the many un- much of which who discusses the success of the department’s new pilot project: intended consequences of various suggests and public health and safety meas- sheds light on The Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis Team (IMPACT). ures. While crime rates are down the many Michelle Vincent’s Holding for most departments, law en- unintended forcement across the country consequences the Line column also features the power of partnerships. She observed an uptick in mental of various public health discusses the culture of policing health-related calls last year. and suggests the established Our cover story profiles how the and safety competitive nature within orpandemic has exacerbated the measures. ganizations is actually far less ongoing mental health crisis and how this has, in turn, affected officer effective than collaboration in achieving a well-being. Domestic violence is also on the collective goal. Tom Wetzel brings the message home rise, another unintended effect of the pandemic. While stay-at-home orders were in- in the Back of the Book section. He chaltended to protect the public and prevent lenges leaders to lean on—and listen widespread infection, it also left many DV to—every member of their team and to use victims trapped with their abusers, isolated all resources and personnel, regardless of from friends, family and other supports. rank. He encourages management to take Police too, who already confront an in- advantage of the talent within their organcreased risk of mental health disorders as a ization. Do this, he writes, and success is result of their work, faced additional scrutiny bound to follow. This issue largely reflects on the past due to the social movement that began south year, with the goal of arming ourselves of the border. While mental exhaustion continues to with newly acquired knowledge and data run rampant, department have started to as we look forward to the future. If the reflect and refine their practices. In the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that feature “A case for an integrated inter- we can’t get through difficult times withdisciplinary approach”, Lori Horne dis- out leaning on each other. That said, cusses how the pandemic created a re- everyone must pull their own weight and newed commitment to reducing conflict do their part. We either succeed together during police-civilian encounters, mini- or we fail together. I challenge you all to mizing use of force and preventing injury. bring this notion into your workplace beThis, she writes, can only be done through cause it’s clear: we’re simply better when we work together. a collaborative effort.
CONNECT WITH BLUE LINE
www.BlueLine.ca 4
@Blue_LineMag
BLUE LINE | March 2021
BLUE LINE
www.facebook.com/BlueLineMagazine
Reader Service Print and digital subscription inquiries or changes, please contact Beata Olechnowicz, Audience Development Manager Tel: (416) 510-5182 Fax: (416) 510-6875 email: bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400 Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 GROUP PUBLISHER | MARTIN MCANULTY mmcanulty@annexbusinessmedia.com PUBLISHER | ADAM SZPAKOWSKI aszpakowski@annexbusinessmedia.com EDITOR | BRIEANNA CHARLEBOIS bcharlebois@annexbusinessmedia.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EMERGENCY SERVICES GROUP | LAURA AIKEN laiken@annexbusinessmedia.com ACCOUNT MANAGER | JANICE EATON jeaton@annexbusinessmedia.com MEDIA DESIGNER | SVETLANA AVRUTIN savrutin@annexbusinessmedia.com ACCOUNT COORDINATOR | KATHRYN NYENHUIS knyenhuis@annexbusinessmedia.com 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 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 © 2021 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 • Intervention and diversion strategies focused on youth and young adults who are at risk of entering gangs, as well as exit strategies for victims of human trafficking. • Equipment purchases that support policing operations and activities such as enhanced software/technology and/or new vehicles.
Ontario funding to focus on combatting gang violence, sexual violence and human trafficking. PH0TO: ©ALDECA PRODUCTIONS / ADOBE STOCK ONTARIO
Investing $2.8 million to combat crime
Initiatives receiving funding under the provincial priorities stream of the CSP grant program this year include:
The Ontario government is providing police services across the province with additional tools and resources to combat crime and keep communities safe. The province is investing about $2.8 million over two years through the Community Safety and Policing Grant (CSP) program. As part of the program, 16 police services will receive funding for projects that combat gun and gang violence, sexual violence and harassment, and human trafficking—the three areas identified as provincial priorities. “Gun and gang violence and other serious crimes are not limited to large urban centres. Smaller and rural communities across the province are also impacted,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “That is why our government continues to provide police services with the tools and resources they need to fight and prevent crime and hold criminals accountable.”
• Education and awareness campaigns for the public (specifically youth) to learn about gun and gang violence, substance abuse and human trafficking. • Enhanced training for police to better equip officers to handle sexual violence and harassment investigations, identify signs of human trafficking and interact with victims of human trafficking. • Crime prevention initiatives for at-risk youth and other vulnerable groups. • Specialized units that provide a comprehensive, survivor-centered approach to address human trafficking. • Support services for survivors of sexual violence and harassment. • Intelligence gathering and sharing which could include surveillance of organized crime, covert operations and social media monitoring of gang activity.
This investment is in addition to the $195 million the province is providing through the local and provincial priorities funding streams of the CSP grant program, running over three years. It also builds on the province’s $112 million Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy and its new comprehensive strategy to combat human trafficking. QUEBEC
Montreal announces new anti-gun squad
In response to the rise of gun-related crime across parts of the city, Montreal’s mayor Valérie Plante and Police Chief Sylvain Caron held a joint press conference on Feb. 11 to announce a new team of investigators focused on targeting weapon traffickers. The announcement about the new police unit came after the shooting death of 15-year-old Meriem Boundaoui, who was sitting in a car when another vehicle drove by and opened fire. During the conference, Caron mentioned he met with the Boundaoui family to offer condolences and assured them police are ramping up efforts to fight crime. He said the normalization of gun violence must change and that citizens have the right to live safely in their neighbourhoods.
BY THE NUMBERS The Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics analyzed the 2019 Canadian police resources across the country in comparison to previous years. Researchers found the cost of operating police services in Canada has generally been increasing steadily since 1996/1997. In 2018/2019, it reached $15.7 billion, with higher salary and non-salary costs contributing to greater operating costs overall. Statistics Canada released the data in December 2020. For more information, visit statcan.gc.ca.
3%
186
22%
increase in the cost of salaries, wages and benefits for police service personnel in 2018/2019, reaching $12.8 billion. As has historically been the case, these were the largest cost to police services, accounting for 81 per cent of operating expenditures in 2018/2019.
more officers were employed across Canada in 2019 when compared to 2018 statistics. As of May 15, 2019, there were 68,718 police officers in Canada.
of officers across the country identified as female for a total of 15,268 female officers. This accounted for 325 more female police officers in Canada than the previous year. The representation of women as police officers has been steadily increasing since 1986 when data on gender was first collected and women represented four per cent of officers.
@Blue_LineMag
4%
of police officers and three per cent of recruits self-identified as Indigenous. In the 2016 Census, Indigenous people represented five per cent of the total Canadian population. A total of 8 per cent of police officers in Canada identified as visible minorities.
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
5
NEWS
ALBERTA
Edmonton Police launch new duty belt pilot project
The United States National Institute of Health estimated 62 per cent of police offers suffer from low back pain. Only eight per cent reported having back pain before beginning their career in law enforcement. Medical professionals attribute this to a variety of factors including sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time, shift work and unsupportive duty belts. In an effort to address this issue (as part of a new health pilot project), the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is testing out new duty belts meant to ease the strain on officers’ backs and hips. The pilot project aims to assess the new LOF Defence Systems duty belt system against the current webbed duty belt, which is the standard issue for EPS uniformed officers. “We know that lower back and hip pain are common injuries among police officers and that these strains and injuries have been increasing within the EPS,” said Edmonton Const. Luc Labonte. “To address this issue, we decided to develop a new duty belt and have a few officers test it out on the job.” The EPS Firearms Training Unit has been working with LOF Defence Systems since last summer to develop a new duty belt design, which aims to mitigate some of these growing back and hip issues. Among them is Const. Labonte, who has been wearing the 6
BLUE LINE | March 2021
duty belt while working on the shooting range. He said, since wearing the belt, he’s experienced relief from persisting lower back pain symptoms. Significant features of LOF Defence Systems duty belt system include: • Padding that dampens load and weight, and reduces pressure points. • Velcro patches on the inside of the belt attach to a Velcro belt that is worn around the waist, which further reduces pressure hot spots and keeps the belt from shifting. • Pouches attach to webbing in the duty belt, instead of the belt itself. This doesn’t affect the Velcro and keeps the pouches and belt more secure and in place. Although an individual belt has been tested by a handful of members in the training section, the EPS began running a monitored pilot project assessment on 28 belts starting in February. Members were chosen from various uniformed areas including the Canine Unit and the Tactical Unit on a volunteer basis. A total of 24 officers were chosen to ensure representation in the following categories: • Members with reported back/hip/leg pain; • Members without reported back/hip/leg pain; • Officer gender to ensure adequate test results for both women and men; • Officer age and experience. The test subjects for the additional four belts were selected by their respective work areas. Their demographics will also be documented for research analysis. “Many members are reluctant to identify their back, hip and leg pain disabilities,” said EPS acting staff Sgt. David Jones of the Research and Innovation Section. “The proactive nature of the work being done by the Firearms Training Unit is laudable as it has the potential to improve EPS member health in a meaningful and measurable way.” The trial will run until May 2021, with trial analysis and feedback from members being collected throughout the summer months by EPS Occupational Health and Safety Branch and the Research and Innovation Section.
Based on their findings, the results and a recommendation will be announced in August to determine if the EPS should proceed with implementing the new duty belts. - Edmonton Police Service ONTARIO
New digital evidence management system
Ontario plans to implement a digital evidence management system for police that the government says will allow officers to focus on crimes and prevention rather than pushing paper. Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said the cloud-based system will allow police to securely capture, store, manage and share digital evidence. “With this new system in place, more time will be given to core police work because less time will be spent administering the evidentiary paper trail,” Jones said in a virtual news conference in January. Jones said Axon Public Safety Canada, which makes body cameras and Tasers, won the contract for the project. She declined to say how much will cost. “The evidence system will allow easy storage and sharing of large audio files, videos and photographs that can be securely sent to Crown attorneys and other police forces,” Jones said. “Gone will be the days of handing off USB sticks and DVDs to the courts.” The program will be made available to provincial enforcement agencies including the Ontario Provincial Police, First Nations Police, and the Correctional Services Oversight and Investigations unit. Two Ontario forces (Peel Regional Police and Toronto Police) already use a digital management system from Axon that will be compatible with the provincial one, Jones added. Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said the digital evidence system has reduced “tremendous amounts of administrative work” for officers. www.BlueLine.ca
CREDIT: EDMONTON POLICE SERVICE
“Events like we’ve witnessed in the past week are unacceptable,” said Insp. David Shane, the Montreal police force’s English-speaking spokesperson. “It’s touched every one of us on the Montreal police force because, before being police officers, most of us are parents first.” Police said the new 22-person anti-gun squad, originally announced in December, would be activated in February and would encompass investigators from various specialties. “We’re not telling you we’re going to have 100 per cent on our report card, but we will put all the efforts needed to combat this phenomenon,” said Shane. Plante also said she spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the federal government’s role in controlling handguns in Canadian cities and is calling on the federal government to take stronger action on gun control issues. The government is now considering a new bill.
Thank You for Your Service Dalton Associates would like to thank all members of law enforcement for always being there when needed and for keeping our communities safe. Uniform and civilian members of law enforcement are consistently exposed to traumatic events in the performance of their duties. Dalton Associates offers First Responder organizations across Ontario customized, comprehensive, and fully-integrated mental health and wellness programming. The programs we design ensure streamlined access to specialized services and information, as well as integration of the mental health and wellness information, services, and resources already available to our partners to ensure a holistic, sustainably-focused plan of treatment for each First Responder and their family.
Customized Services for First Responders Dedicated 24/7 Care Management Team and Customized Intake and Referral Management
Psychiatric Consultation and Assessment Services
Client-Tailored Plans of Care/Treatment
Access to Residential and Intensive Outpatient Treatment Programs
24/7 Crisis Support and Rapid Access to Counselling
Clinically-validated Self-assessments and Surveys to Monitor Progress
Specialized Mental Health Counselling
Integration with Existing Mental Health and Wellness Supports and Aftercare
Psychological Treatment and Assessment Services
Custom Website, Client Portal, and Exclusive Online Information and Resources
About Dalton Associates Dalton Associates, established in 1995, is a mental health and psychological services organization whose mission it is to provide specialized and quality assured, mental health and wellness services that are culturally sensitive, safe, accessible, and timely, within communities throughout Ontario. We have worked with first responders, including Police Officers, for decades through our counselling and assessment services divisions, supporting them towards sustainable mental wellness at home and at work.
Call Us 1-888-245-5516
Visit Our Website www.daltonassociates.ca
NEWS “The benefits from modernizing our digital systems include a seamless, efficient and secure exchange of files in evidence from the police service to our partners in court,” Duraiappah said. Five years ago, as Toronto police began looking into the use of body-worn cameras, concerns were raised about storing evidence on the cloud while the physical servers were located elsewhere. It proved a particularly thorny issue if those servers were located in the U.S. due to the country’s Patriot Act, which allows American authorities to access data that is stored in their country. Jones said the new evidence management system would be based in the province. “We have assurances and we made sure the cloud-based (system) is Ontario-based,” Jones said. Vishal Dhir, a managing director of Axon, said the infrastructure used is also based in Canada. - Canadian Press
CANADA
Fraud crimes on the rise
Statistics Canada found that police-reported fraud crimes, measured by the Crime Severity Index (CSI), are on the rise. The last comprehensive data on fraud-related crimes showed the rate of police-reported fraud increased for the eighth consecutive year in 2019, up 10 per cent from 2018. Researchers noted some police services said the increases were connected to greater availability of online reporting platforms. Canadian Anti-fraud Centre (CAFC) estimated there was a total of 19,285 victims of fraud in 2019 and over $98 million lost due to fraud. It found that just under 166,500 incidents of fraud were reported by police in 2019. Statistics Canada noted the high volume of fraud offenses made it a primary driver behind the increase in the national CSI. It also reported that the high volume of fraud
offences made it the primary driver behind the increase in the national CSI. Statistics Canada is now conducting a special data collection exercise with select police services with a focus on March to December 2020 to address data gaps that occurred during the pandemic. The Canada Revenue Agency found 40,612 people had their information compromised last year and estimates Canadians lost a total of $106 million to fraud. The agency also said 4,833 Canadians reported scam activity in January 2021 alone, which resulted in the loss of more than $10 million. A recent survey from Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) found 73 per cent of individuals reported being targeted by fraudsters at some time in their life—one third having fallen victim—but also showed that almost two thirds of respondents said they are doing more to protect themselves than they were five years ago.
COLD CASE Blue Line’s Cold Case Series:
OUT OF THE COLD File # 6: Foul play suspected in Hamilton cold case BY STEPHEN METELSKY
We are proactively profiling a cold case in every other issue for our readers to share in order to spark renewed interest and hopefully generate tips and information. In May 2006, Nuseiba Hasan completed her final term at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., having opted not to return for the next semester. In the fall that year, Hasan was last known to have been seen alive when a family member dropped her off at her rural home, a farm property located at 1207 Concession 8 Road West in Flamborough, Ont. She has not been seen since. The incident went unreported for almost a decade. Hamilton Police were baffled when a family member of the missing woman finally reported her disappearance on Feb. 12, 2015—nine years after she had last been seen. The Homicide Squad immediately knew it’d be a “difficult case” when the nine-year gap involving Hasan’s whereabouts was eventually divulged to police. 8
BLUE LINE | March 2021
“The biggest issue we’ve come across is the gap from the last time she was seen until the time it was reported,” said Detective Sergeant Peter Thom. Police discovered a rift had developed in the family years earlier when Hasan gave birth to a daughter, who was later put up for adoption. Hasan, the second youngest of nine siblings, only had support from a portion of her family. The other half of the family was “not supportive,” according to police. Soon after a missing person report was filed, the property where Hasan had last been seen alive, went up for sale. The family had returned to Jordan in the Middle East. With consent from the new homeowner, Hamilton Police conducted a thorough examination of the 22-hectare Flamborough property. Investigators tore apart the farmhouse and dug up the property using ground-penetrating radar, cadaver dogs and the expertise of a forensic anthropologist. No evidence was found in the exhaustive five-day search. Police checked every avenue, including the missing persons and unidentified human remains program. They have been unable to establish any form of activity involving Hasan beyond 2006 but investigators suspect “foul play” in Hasan’s disappearance. Hamilton police identified two “persons of interest” in the case, both family members of
the missing woman. The geographic barrier of the family’s relocation overseas, combined with the death of one of the potential suspects left police with additional obstacles. Investigators have also been unable to interview their “main source” in the investigation. “The ones we believe can assist in the investigation are not cooperating,” said Thom, noting that, despite these obstacles, finding her body remains a top priority for Hamilton’s major crime unit. Hasan’s adopted daughter, now a university student in Ontario, conducted research about her genetic parents which led to discovering the cold case involving her birth mother. She has since contacted homicide investigators in Hamilton, desperate to find out what happened to her mother, Nuseiba Hasan. Hamilton Police are actively seeking answers to questions about Hasan’s suspicious disappearance in 2006 and the foul play they believe led to her murder. Anyone with information about this case can contact Det. Sgt. Peter Thom of the Major Crime Unit at 905-546-2458 or anonymously at Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Stephen Metelsky, M.A., is a writer, (ret.) police sergeant and professor at Mohawk College. Find him on LinkedIn, follow him @StephenMetelsky or email Stephen.Metelsky@mohawkcollege.ca.
www.BlueLine.ca
NEWS DISPATCHES After over four decades in the police service, Sgt. Eric MacLeod of the Fredericton City Police is retiring. Born and raised in Cape Breton, N.S., MacLeod attended the Atlantic Police Academy in 1976. He was hired straight after graduation and joined the Fredericton City Police in January of 1977. MacLeod has served in many sections and units throughout his career, including Patrols, Drug Unit, Intelligence Unit, Street Crime Unit and as an Exhibit officer. He officially retired on Jan. 29. Toronto Police Service member Kimberley O’Toole was promoted to the rank of superintendent in January. She has had a diverse career, working in both a uniform and in an investigative capacity. Areas of note include her work in child abuse, sex and gender-based crimes, youth crime, human rights and the Homicide Squad. O’Toole has served as president of the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement Association since January 2018 and has served as inspector at the Toronto Police College since December 2018. Unit Commander Stacy Clarke was promoted to the rank of superintendent within the Toronto Police Service (TPS) in January. A 24-year veteran, she became the first Black woman to achieve the rank within the TPS, the largest municipal police service in Canada. Clarke has worked across the service’s Primary and Community Response units, Intelligence and Criminal Investigative Bureau, among others. She is also credited with implementing the province’s signature Street Check Legislation. Clarke is a 2018 Civic Action Fellow and was recognized as one of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women in 2018. Charlottetown Police Chief Paul Smith, the longest-serving police chief in Charlottetown history announced his retirement in early February. Smith took over the role of chief in 1994, succeeding Chief Don Webster, and will step down in late April after more than 40 years with Charlottetown Police Services. Smith has been a police officer since February of 1977, when he joined the Borden department. He joined the force in Charlottetown in March 1978. @Blue_LineMag
CALENDAR Chris Barry was officially sworn in as the City of Belleville’s deputy police chief in February. Barry, 52, joined the Belleville, Ont., force in 1992. His roles within the service have included General Patrol, Community Policing, School Response, Criminal Investigations and Operations. He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2005, to staff sergeant in 2010 and to inspector of the operations division in 2015 (tasked with overseeing patrol platoons). Barry later held the same rank in the Support Services Division. He returned to operations in 2020, becoming acting deputy chief after the retirement of Chief Ron Gignac. He officially began his duties Jan. 1 but wasn’t sworn in until Feb. 15 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Surrey Police Service has announced the appointment of Mike LeSage as one of the department’s three deputy chief constables. LeSage brings more than 24 years of policing service to the role. He is a longtime RCMP member, where he was promoted through the ranks. At the time of his new appointment, LeSage served as assistant commissioner and as chief officer for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) in British Columbia. In his new role, he will be tasked with taking charge of the Community Policing Bureau. Shelburne, Ont., Police Chief Kent Moore retired on Feb. 18—the same day the service made its transition to OPP. Moore spent 34 years serving on the Town of Shelburne’s police force, 15 of which he spent as chief. He joined the Shelburne Police Service as a constable in January of 1987; a time when the local force had only five officers. Moore was later promoted to sergeant in 1999 and was promoted to chief in 2005. During his career, Moore was awarded the Order of Merit (M.O.M) in 2018, Police Exemplary Service Medal for 30 years of service in 2017 and a Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal.
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: bcharlebois@annexbusinessmedia.com.
NOTE TO READERS: check with all organizers as COVID-19 continues to affect events.
Security • Police • Fire Career Expo March 4, 2021 Virtual www.blueline.ca Blue Line Expo International April 22, 2021 Virtual www.blueline.ca TACCOM 2021 Show Apr. 23-25, 2021 Mississauga, Ont. www.osgoodepd.ca Fourth International VPD Police Judo Clinic Apr. 27-30, 2021 Vancouver, B.C. policejudo.ca HK Memorial Hockey Tournament 2021 Apr. 29-30, 2021 Brampton, Ont. hkmemorial.com 12th Annual Law of Policing Conference (East Coast edition) May 6-7, 2021 Virtual www.canadianinstitute.com FutureCon: Toronto CyberSecurity Conference May 12, 2021 Toronto, Ont. futureconevents.com/events/torontoon-2020/?ref=infosec-conferences.com CANSEC 2021 June 2-3, 2021 Ottawa, Ont. www.defenceandsecurity.ca Canada’s 911 Ride – Atlantic 2021 June 12-13, 2021 Truro, N.S. www.canadas911ride.com
Find more calendar events online at blueline.ca/events.
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
9
Q&A Community Services Inspector Derek West from the Thunder Bay Police Service in Ontario, discusses the department’s recent partnership with the Thunder Bay branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). The goal is to provide immediate assessment and support through a joint crisis response model. The Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis Team (IMPACT) Pilot Project was launched on Jan. 4 and is set to run for the next year. The team is comprised of one police officer and one crisis worker working together to respond to all mental health related calls (24 hours a day, seven days a week). IMPACT is an expansion of the Joint Mobile Crisis Response Team, which has operated since June
C
Q: How has the model adapted since its conception in 2015?
MHA will also continue to provide and conduct a two-person crisis response mobile team from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. The goal of the new pilot is to reduce police time in the emergency department, divert individuals from having to attend the emergency department while providing supports for individuals in the community.
Q: How did your Crisis Response Team come to be?
In 2015, the police service and CMHA saw the number of mental health calls were on the rise and we began looking at ways to track them better within the service. Between 2015 and 2018, we saw a 237 per cent increase in mental health calls being attributed to police attended and that began the discussions around joint mobile crisis response models. Those models obviously aren’t new to Thunder Bay—or to Canada for that matter. Variations of partnerships between local organization and police have been happening for years. So, we basically looked at the previous models and came up with the joint mobile crisis response team. 10
BLUE LINE | March 2021
Inspector Derek West, TBPS Community Services PHOTO: THUNDER BAY POLICE SERVICE
Q: What was the purpose of the model?
The model allowed police officers attending at mental health calls to be supported by a two-person crisis response team from CMHA. This allowed us to start providing service in the community and to individuals experiencing crisis, rather than immediately being apprehended by the police and brought to the hospital. It also allowed CMHA to provide an assessment about what should happen and provide information on resources offered in the community.
Snapshot of Inspector Derek West career
1993
joined the Thunder Bay Police Service and is currently in his 28th year of service.
2018
became inspector of the Uniform Patrol Branch and currently oversees the Community Services Branch.
Over a one-year period, we tracked all our calls for service. We collaborated with the hospital and the CMHA, with the assistance of university researchers, to track the data to see if police time at the ER was being reduced. We also created a procedure in collaboration with the hospital where we streamlined the intake process using an assessment checklist. This sped up the process and allowed officers to get back to work and respond to other calls within the community. We then launched the IMPACT team on Jan. 4. Crisis workers and police took crisis intervention training together. We then established a crisis worker and police officer team who would work together in a patrol car to respond to all mental health calls. The police are there to ensure everyone’s safety by bringing our expertise and mediation to the call, while the crisis worker adds their mental health expertise so the call goes smoothly. That way, we are able to serve the community as best as possible.
Q: Can you explain the biggest differences in the recent change in model?
Our police officers would initially attend a call and then be supported www.BlueLine.ca
by the crisis team but now, with the integrated team, they are already together and that makes a big difference. It allows for an immediate assessment by the crisis worker and an crisis intervention-trained officer, which allows them to provide the individual with the adequate resources and supports.
Q: How has COVID-19 affected this process?
CMHA has done a great job in our community through an education and knowledge standpoint and by connecting people to different services. They’ve supported people better so, while the police are still seeing an increase in these types of calls, the individual is being served better through social resources rather than relying on a police response and apprehension.
Q: What advice would you give to other departments who don’t have similar models in place?
I can understand some people’s hesitation. At first, I wasn’t actually sure if it would be a good use of police time, but in the short time that we’ve had the integrated team, it’s clear that the collaboration is extremely beneficial. For us, it is a valuable partnership. The feedback from crisis workers is that they didn’t really understand what a difficult job police have in response. So, allowing workers to see more of what’s happening in the community, specifically the challenges and types of situations we face, has allowed them to be better equipped to support us. I think it’ll pay dividends in the end because both understand each side of what we do.
Q: What have you learned so far through the new initiative?
The police are there to ensure everyone’s safety by bringing our expertise and mediation to the call, while the crisis worker adds their mental health expertise so the call goes smoothly.
It’s really all about leveraging your partnerships. I encourage police to start building strong relationships with social service agencies in the area because it’s been really successful for us. It’s allowed us to have necessary conversations. Sometimes they will be uncomfortable conversations about capacity but sometimes they’ll be discussions that lead to innovative ways to use various services and leverage expertise. So, specifically on our impact project, it’s really been about allowing for police support on crisis calls, allowing us to best address the hardest situations and to do so in a way that is respectful for both officer and social worker. Visit www.BlueLine.ca for the latest news, stories, products, videos, photo galleries and industry events.
Fully Online Program NEW FOR FALL 2021
Bachelor of Applied Arts Justice & Public Safety Complete in 2 to 2½ years
Go back to class to move forward in your career
guelphhumber.ca/futurestudents/jps @Blue_LineMag
BL_UofGuelph_Oct20.indd 1
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
11
2020-09-16 9:30 AM
BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES BY PETER COLLINS
Investigating Insanity Cases: Part Two
M
y February 2021 column explored the legal definition, the myths and realities of the Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder (NCRMD). This month, we’ll discuss the investigatory aspects of these cases: crime scene considerations, interviewing the suspect, witness interviews, background investigation and information that should be obtained when the accused is in custody.
Crime Scene Considerations
Even without direct access to the suspect, the investigation into his state of mind can begin from a careful analysis of the crime scene(s) and from detailed interviews of those who may have witnessed some part of the crime. Regarding the scene(s) of the crime, the following are important considerations: • Evidence of planning (e.g. bringing a weapon with him to facilitate the commission of the offence); • Cleverness of the crime; • Flight or escape from the scene; • Apparent focus to the commission of the offence; • Efforts to avoid any unintended victims; • Apparent preparation of the field in which the offence was committed; • Concealment of the scene and efforts to ensure privacy; • Destruction or attempted destruction of inculpatory evidence; • Steps taken to facilitate the crime (e.g. cutting telephone lines); • Operation of any of the base motives (e.g. lust, greed, envy, pride, revenge). The observations of witnesses, especially as they relate to the demeanor of the offender, are often crucial in combating a claim of insanity and in establishing the existence of criminal intent. Did the offender appear to be oriented to time, place and situation? Were they able to communicate? Were they physically coordinated? Did they appear to be goal-oriented and focused? If witnesses saw the suspect before the offence, ask if they observed any stressful event experienced by the offender preceding the crime. Witnesses to the crime, or 12
BLUE LINE | March 2021
events preceding or following the crime should be asked to comment on the suspect’s demeanour, speech, motor activity, orientation to his environment, emotional reactions, ideation, coherence, intelligence and judgement.
The Interview
As with any interview, preparation is the key. The more you know about the offender, his background and how he thinks, the better chance you have for a successful interview. To assist in determining the validity of the claim of a Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder (NCRMD) defence the following topics should be explored: • An awareness of his/her rights; • Planning; • Motive; • Intent; • Apparent rational acts prior to, during or after the crime; • Flight or escape; • Cleverness of the crime; • Apparent focus of the crime and efforts to avoid unintended victims; • Preparation of the “field” where the offence would occur; • Privacy or concealment; • Attempts to destroy/conceal evidence • Apparent normalcy of his life (e.g. job, friends, social life); • Deception of authorities, friends or family; • Use of false names; • Operation of any of the base motives; • Steps taken to facilitate the offence; • Knowledge that the act was a crime; • Knowledge that society sees the act as wrong, morally and legally; • Knowledge of consequences; • Long and short-term memory difficulties; • Medical conditions; • Stressful events before the crime • Use of alcohol or drugs; • Education and employment history. Once the subject has been detained, correctional officers may assist in determining the state of mind of the accused. They can provide information similar to background witnesses such as demeanour, speech, judgment, motor activity, orientation, the presence of delusions, emotional
reactions, coherence and knowledge, and whether they appear to be responding to auditory hallucinations. It’s important to gauge the detainee’s ability to conform to the rules and regulations of the setting and assess their overall hygiene, grooming and cleanliness, toilet habits, eating habits, their demeanour on visits and any participation in offered programs. Seemingly trivial matters can and does go a long way to satisfying whether the offender is not, was not and has never been not criminally responsible. If required, reach out to your forensic interview experts (polygraph examiners) and seek the assistance of an investigative support unit (i.e. the Criminal Behaviour Analysis Section of the Ontario Provincial Police, the Behavioural Sciences Sections of the Royal Canadian Mounted or Police Sûreté du Québec). These behavioural experts can assist in understanding bizarre and shocking crimes by giving focus to the investigators, identifying areas that may be important but not obvious, and provide interview strategies.
In Conclusion
For the successful prosecution of a serious crime (or series of crimes), the prosecutor may have to deal with a claim that the subject was “insane” at the time of the offence. In order for the prosecution to effectively fulfill its function, the investigation of the crime and the criminal must be exhaustive and focused. The case, the skill to present the evidence in a manner that is easily understood, the expertise to effectively advocate for a particular result and the result that is called for by the evidence depends on it. Gathering evidence in a fashion that it will be admissible at the trial must be a collaborative effort between the investigators and the prosecutors. This combined effort of police and prosecutors will lead to the jury understanding the insanity defence. It also allows them to correctly decide whether or not the offender was not criminally responsible at the time of the offence. Dr. Peter Collins is the operational forensic psychiatrist with the Ontario Provincial Police’s Criminal Behaviour Analysis Section. He is also a member of the crisis/ hostage negotiation team of the Toronto Police Service Emergency Task Force. Dr. Collins’ opinions are his own. Contact him at peter.collins@utoronto.ca.
www.BlueLine.ca
HOLDING THE LINE BY MICHELLE VINCENT
The power of collaboration
PH0TO: ©PHOTOGRAPHEE.EU / ADOBE STOCK
W
hen emotional intelligence and teamwork are interwoven into the leadership framework, collaboration becomes both powerful and effective. In previous articles, I have mentioned that teamwork and collaboration are key in the effective delivery of operations in a policing organization. I once even approached my chief, as the unveiling of our new set of values took place, to discuss very important value had been left out. That value was collaboration. Policing has its own culture that develops as a result of the kind of work we do. The long shifts we work together (we often spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our own families) and the traumas we experience connect and bond us. It is a sort of brotherhood—or should we say an exclusive club—to which we belong that ties us together, whether it’s healthy or not. This exclusivity comes at a great cost, on many levels. The relationship between the calls we attend, the untold expectation that we should be able to be strong and take our traumatic experiences as they come, the organic desire to serve our communities by helping others and the oath we took during our swearing in are tested on a regular basis. Some of us mask our mental health challenges until we are in so deep we need a leave of absence to be able to work through them. Others display their mental health issues in undesirable actions at work, causing workplace liability. Growing mental health issues and the motivational competitiveness between us as police officers can result in muddied waters and cause us to stray from our original oath to protect and serve. Competition between us (the “good guys”) and those we are arresting (the “bad guys”) can transpose into our everyday living and in our various ways. This competitiveness occurs on a physical and an intellectual level. Physically, we must work out, train @Blue_LineMag
Collaborative policing is key in effectively protecting and serving the community.
through our defensive tactics/firearms and eat and sleep well. Intellectually, we must train in areas like forensics, investigative studies, physics and mathematics in order to solve crimes accurately and efficiently. Competition is woven into our promotional processes, specialty unit opportunities and even throughout platoons to see who can acquire the greatest numbers of arrests and traffic tickets. Most of us were also raised in competitive environments within our families. Competitiveness is instinctual for survival of the fittest. As our emotional intelligence grows and evolves, and we learn how we can be most efficacious in our worlds, we have to ask ourselves if our old ways and patterns truly serve us. Does competition create a healthy space in the workplace? Is it the best way to achieve our overall goals? This is where collaboration comes into the discussion. The U.S. Department of Justice defines community policing as: “a philosophy that promotes organiz-
Competition separates while collaboration brings together.
ational strategies that support the systemic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder and fear of crime”. This is what we should be striving to produce organizationally in policing from a leadership perspective. Each day, we work together with our communities to ensure the safety of all. With this in mind, consider the synonyms of each word. Synonyms of competition are rivalry, competitiveness, conflict, contesting, opposition, contention, feuding, battling, fighting, strife, struggling and war, while synonyms of collaboration are cooperation, alliance, partnership, participation, combination, association, teamwork. Which group of synonyms feels productive, solution-oriented and appears to be coming from an emotionally intelligent place? Which of these groups of words would likely be most effective from an emotionally intelligent and engaged workplace? Which would most likely achieve the goals of community policing? The answer is clear but most organizations still (understandably) run with the competitive theme instead. Competition separates while collaboration brings together. I was taught that the most powerful and effective changes and organic growth come from within. Collaboration inspires us to be open, to work together, while competition motivates us outside of ourselves to be the best, maybe even losing sight of the ultimate goal. I challenge you to check out your organizational values and, if collaboration is not listed as a value, consider a discussion on adding it to the list. Its value is immeasurable. Michelle Vincent is a retired York Regional Police officer and 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
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
13
COVER STORY
Mental health calls
Police, physicians report surge in mental-health matters amid COVID-19 pandemic By Brieanna Charlebois calls for general well-being checks and 12 per cent more requests to respond to people in emotional crisis or apprehensions under the Mental Health Act. The Toronto Police Service also reported a recorded 12 per cent increase in mental health calls throughout the pandemic.
The Numbers
Prior to 2020, there were about 4,000 recorded completed suicides in Canada each year. After the initial lockdown, many experts began voicing concern about the pandemic’s potential effects on suicide rates— particularly those who already considered suicide an ongoing national crisis. Among them were Margaret Eaton, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), and Dr. Roger McIntyre, who leads the Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit at the University Health Network in Toronto. Both cited economic distress as a major determinant in declining mental health and voiced concerns about a potential increase in suicides. “Lots of data correlates mental health with finances,” Eaton said. “Experiencing poverty or loss of work results in higher levels of mental health challenges and mental ill-
88,460
mental health calls were recorded by police between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, 2020
“The mental impact of COVID-19 will claim more lives than the virus but that won’t be seen until the pandemic subsides. We need to start dealing with this now because if we wait until the pandemic ends, it’ll be too late.” - Robert Perkins 14
BLUE LINE | March 2021
ness, which is why a lot of mental health professionals were happy when the government announced the CERB program. We think that likely saved a lot of lives.” In March, CMHA, in tandem with the University of British Columbia, began surveying Canadians to analyze the mental health impacts of COVID-19, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities. The most recent results were released on Dec. 3. “At the beginning of the pandemic, many thought [the virus] was ‘the great equalizer’ in regards to the physical effects, but we quickly learned that wasn’t true,” said Eaton. “Our team thought the same was likely true for mental health issues, particularly affecting vulnerable communities more intensely. So far, the research suggests we were right.” The report found that mental health has continually declined as the pandemic persists. When the country shifted into the second wave of COVID, they found anxiety and depression among Canadians surged. Of the 3,000 people surveyed, 40 per cent said their mental health had deteriorated since March. Almost half of women (45 per cent) www.BlueLine.ca
IMAGE: NADZEYA_DZIVAKOVA/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS / GETTY IMAGES
A
s the second wave of the pandemic persists in Canada, the psychological toll of the lockdown has become increasingly clear. Newly released data from police agencies, the Ontario Medical Association, mental health organizations and researchers across the country show a surge in mental health needs that experts say will linger for years. A recent RCMP report found, out of the 2 million total occurrences between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, more than 88,460 mental health calls were logged in the force’s tracking systems. Newly released figures also show a major drop in police recorded crime during the first eight months of the pandemic, but show an increase in calls for service. Statistics Canada conducted a special monthly data collection from 19 police services across the country. Between March and October 2020, crime declined by 18 per cent when compared with the same period a year earlier. In contrast, the number of calls for service, including wellness checks, mental health calls and calls for domestic disturbances rose eight per cent. When compared to the same period from the previous year, police fielded 13 per cent more
and a third of men (34 per cent) said their mental health has worsened. This decline was also more pronounced in those who are unemployed (61 per cent), those with a pre-existing mental health issue (61 per cent), people age 18-24 (60 per cent), Indigenous peoples (54 per cent), those identify as LGBTQ2+ (54 per cent) and those with a disability (50 per cent). Prior to the pandemic, CMHA reported 2.5 per cent of Canadians experienced thoughts of suicide. This number has now increased to 10 per cent. Despite the discovery of a vaccine, Eaton said this is likely attributed to widespread uncertainty as to when the pandemic will end, combined with loss of connection resulting from extended stay-at-home orders. McIntyre’s preliminary research tells a similar story. He explained that whenever there is a shock to society—particularly an event that results in mass unemployment and financial insecurity—suicide rates tend to rise drastically. “During the 2008 Great Recession, an increase in suicide was observed in Europe, North America and Asia in correlation with mass unemployment,” he said. “So, when the World @Blue_LineMag
17%
of Canadians have increased substance use as a way to cope with stressors, Statistics Canada reports.
10 %
of Canadians have experienced suicidal thoughts since the onset of COVID-19, CMHA reports.
Health Organization declared COVID a pandemic, it was very concerning because never in the history of humanity has something like this happened on a global scale. We were suddenly confronted and tasked with combating a triple threat: COVID, an economic crisis and coping with the ongoing mental health crisis we already faced in this country.” Armed with this knowledge, when life in Canada was disrupted last March and thousands lost their jobs, McIntyre and his team of researchers began studying projected suicide rates. They predicted that, for every one per cent increase in unemployment, there would be a one per cent increase in the suicide rate across the population. “It would be unexpected not to see a massive increase in suicide as result of the massive increase in depression,” McIntyre told Blue Line in December. “It’s possible that these projections won’t come to fruition, and I hope they don’t, but we need to start combatting this now.” He was not alone in the prediction of a surge in successful suicides. Numerous politicians, public figures and researchers warned of the risks associated with increased rates of depression (the leading predictor of suicide attempts). Some provinces have since released annual reports, which paint a more hopeful picture. Newly released data from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan suggest suicide rates actually declined in 2020. In Alberta, preliminary data compiled and released by the province in January suggests 468 deaths by suicide in 2020 but reported 600 deaths by suicide in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Saskatchewan provincial data shows a recorded 134 deaths by suicide in 2020, but have reported an average of more than 200 over the previous four years. While British Columbia had not released their full data set at the time this story went to print, the province said the number of suicide deaths between January and August appeared to decrease by about seven per cent when compared to the same time period in 2019. The chief medical examiner in Newfoundland and Labrador as well as the coroner in Quebec have also publicly said there
was not an increase in the suicide rates in their provinces last year. Other data from provinces, including Ontario, was not yet released at the time of publication. Despite reports of decreased completed suicides, various distress centres have reported increased call volumes throughout the pandemic. For example, Toronto’s Gerstein Crisis Centre—a 24-hour intervention service that has a crisis hotline, care beds and mobile health teams—saw a 70 per cent increase over the previous year (most people reporting isolation and increased distress). Similarly, Hamilton’s Crisis Outreach and Support Team crisis line said their call volume increased by an estimated 10 to 15 per cent over the past year. Statistics Canada also found 17 percent of Canadians have increased substance use as a way to cope—20 percent have increased alcohol, nine per cent increased cannabis and seven per cent increased prescription medication. Opioid deaths have also skyrocketed throughout the pandemic by an alarming rate, though overdoses are rarely ruled as suicides. “It does not confirm this but the stats do give [medical professionals] an eerie suspicion that we are beginning to see an increase in suicide by evidence of opioid overdoses across the country,” said McIntyre. “Under the age of 50, opioids are more likely to kill people in this country than COVID.”
Policing through a Mental Health Crisis
Law enforcement are not immune to the mental health impacts of the crisis either. In fact, some experts suggest officers may be even more likely to suffer by virtue of their work. Police are generally accustomed to exposure to threats, trauma and stress, but the heightened social unrest and potential exposure to a deadly virus has created more challenges. It did, however, generate a renewed call for better mental health resources for first responders. Some organizations partnered with CMHA or other mental health organizations to provide a safe space for police to discuss their concerns, while March 2021 | BLUE LINE
15
COVER STORY
“We were suddenly confronted and tasked with combating a triple threat: COVID, an economic crisis and coping with the ongoing mental health crisis we already faced in this country.” - Dr. Roger McIntyre others have worked to provide support through peer-to-peer models. One example of the latter is CopLine, a U.S.-based service that expanded to Canada in 2018. It is a confidential 24-hour hotline answered by retired law enforcement officers, who have gone through a rigorous 45-hour training course. “The best aspect is that our listeners have lived experience and can actually understand what the caller is feeling,” said Stephanie Samuels, founder of CopLine. “They have a wealth of knowledge about resiliency that they can impart onto others and that’s invaluable. That’s not something you can train into someone.”
Adam Kinakin is the managing director of the International Law Enforcement Training (ILET) Network, an organization that raised USD$16,000 for CopLine during the 2020 ILET Summit in July. He is advocating for a more collaborative approach to officer wellbeing. “The law enforcement community has a history of isolating mental health programs,” he said. “We are recently seeing police agencies begin to adopt preemptive measures to train their officers in critical incident stress and cognitive load, which is accrued throughout their careers. This is an important first step but we need to
start calling on all trainers, organizations and agencies to openly share best practices with one another.” While helplines and other resources are vital, Robert L. Perkins, a former police sergeant and psychophysiologist who works with the Ontario Critical Incident Stress Foundation, highlights the need for proactive measures to mental healthcare—particularly after people begin to transition back to regular life. He claims the psychological effects of COVID will be far more detrimental than the virus. In April, he published an academic article about the likelihood of a new mental health condition he dubbed Post-COVID Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PCTSS). Within the article, he divided the population in four subgroups based on the likely trauma they would accrue as a result of the pandemic. Emergency Services Personnel is one such group. “The lack of distress signals can give the individual a false sense of security that the body and mind are performing optimally, creating a very dangerous pattern of behav-
+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!
16
BLUE LINE | March 2021
BL_CATF_JanFeb20.indd 1
www.BlueLine.ca
2019-12-03 11:03 AM
ior that may accumulate in a much more serious trauma related injury in the future,” he writes in the report. “The increase of costs, resources and time for individuals to be treated and recover will be significantly greater if interventions are not put in place at the earliest possible point in time.” Perkins suggests police are at an increased risk of PCTSS (which would present similarly to PTSD) because of their increased exposure to stressful events, their ability to delay emotional responses when on the job and the current lack of decompression and debriefing after stressful calls. “Everybody has a limited capacity for how much stress that they can take and, eventually, the body will start to manifest symptoms. Most police officers don’t understand that so reinforcing the normality of an emotional reaction to an abnormal set of circumstances is important,” said Perkins. “The mental impact of COVID-19 will claim more lives than the virus but that won’t be seen until the pandemic subsides. We need to start dealing with this now because if we wait until the pandemic ends, it’ll be too late.”
@Blue_LineMag
BL_ILET_Dec20.indd 1
This sentiment is echoed by mental health organizations across the country, who insist early intervention policy measures must be introduced.
Persisting Past the Pandemic: A Call for Policy Intervention
The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) reported that mental health visits to physicians did not rise during the first four months of the pandemic, but from August to December, critical mental-health visits jumped by eight per cent and all other mental health visits increased by 12 per cent—a trend medical experts suggest will continue to persist for years. This was reinforced in a press release from OMA (which represents Ontario’s 43,000 health professionals) that said mental-health issues linked to the 1918 influenza pandemic continued for at least six years after that virus had largely subsided. “We need to start working to prevent an increase in depression and suicide by pushing the government and various organizations to get measures in place now,” said McIntyre.
Before COVID-19, 1.6 million Canadians went untreated for mental health issues each year and, while some provinces have allocated increased funding to mental health organizations, many are calling for a policy-driven, systemic change in mental health care with a particular interest to include community-based psychologists and psychotherapists in Canada’s publicly-funded health care system “From a policy perspective, once the vaccines are distributed, we’re concerned the government may decide they’re done but unfortunately, we don’t have a universal mental healthcare system the way we do for physical health, so much of the population is not well served to find support for suicidal feelings, depression or anxiety,” said Eaton. “We’re really behind in terms of being able to deal with the mental health issues that existed prior to the pandemic and our concern is there hasn’t been an investment in universal mental health care to ensure people are taken care of, not just over the next six months or the next few years, but forever.” Editor’s Note: To reach CopLine, call 1-800-267-5463
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
17
2020-11-16 1:29 PM
TRAINING
A case for an integrated interdisciplinary approach
T
he past year was one that unearthed critical issues in policing. It shed light on issues including systemic racism and discrimination, police response to people in crisis, use of force and officer wellness. It also resulted in a collaborative commitment from law enforcement leaders across Canada to work toward addressing these issues with the collective goal of reducing conflict during police-civilian encounters, minimizing use of force and preventing injury. This commitment includes a critical review of current models, policies, procedures and training practices, as well as the development of a national standard and model for de-escalation and crisis intervention training. Given the complexity and dynamic nature of policing, it is highly unlikely that any one model, theory or approach will hold the answers we seek, but adopting an integrated interdisciplinary perspective will help ensure no stone is left unturned and no option is under-analyzed. Keeping this in mind, please note that the main purpose of this article is to serve as a thought paper, to invite discussion and expansion at round 18
BLUE LINE | March 2021
tables across the country. The models and frames of reference introduced are not conclusive or exhaustive by any means. One such framework that may serve as a backdrop for the integration of interventions (intended to address the issues outlined above) comes from the field of organizational behaviour and performance. Known as the Congruence Model, this framework provides an integrated approach to problem solving that is guided by the degree of congruency between four fundamental building blocks deemed critical to organizational success. These four building blocks include: 1. Critical Tasks: workflow/processes necessary to achieve strategy/vision 2. Formal organization: structure, formal linking, policy, procedures, rewards. 3. People: capabilities, competencies, training, motives, etc. 4. Culture: norms, values, informal roles, networks, power, etc. The main principle of the Congruence Model framework pivots around the degree of alignment or misalignment. The more aligned the building blocks, the
fewer performance issues. The following example will demonstrate how alignment amongst the four building blocks can impact officer decision making and performance. It will also demonstrate how systemic racism and discrimination can inadvertently be present within the very policies and procedures used to guide decision making and action. Consider the following scenario: an Indigenous person has been arrested and is being processed prior to being placed in the cells. An officer notices a long leather string braided into the individual’s hair and, as per organizational policy and procedure regarding detainee safety, asks the person to remove it out of concern that the leather string could be used for the purpose of self-harm. The individual refuses to comply for undisclosed reasons. The officer makes the decision to remove the leather string from the individual’s hair. Unbeknownst to the officer, the leather string the person was wearing held significant cultural meaning and was worn in honour of a recently deceased elder. The individual later filed a formal complaint and the officer was required to attend cultural sensitivity training. www.BlueLine.ca
PH0TO: ©VADIMGUZHVA / ADOBE STOCK
By Lori Horne
While sensitivity training is beneficial, training alone is not sufficient to prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future. That is, unless the policies and procedures are amended and adjusted to align and account for cultural diversity, the officer would either have to violate policy and procedure in order to respect Indigenous culture or knowingly disrespect cultural sensitivities to uphold policy and procedure. Any efforts to align the policies and procedures with cultural diversity would then need to be supported by changes in both operational structure and resourcing in order to be successfully implemented. In addition to such organizational frameworks, there are two major underlying questions that can help guide our thinking as we strive to address issues of the day. First, we must ask, “What are the unintended consequences of current practice, policy, training?” Secondly, we must ask, “What behaviour does the system (both formal and informal) reward?” Answering such questions through an integrated interdisciplinary lens requires us to look deeply at what we do, how we do it and why we do it. To demonstrate how such questions may help us move forward in addressing current challenges in policing, we will turn to the topic of use of force training and practice. Consider a common training concept introduced to many police recruits during use of force training: the warrior mindset. Such a training principle has come under scrutiny with suggestion that it promotes the importance of physical control and cultivates more favorable attitudes toward use of force. In contrast, the guardian mindset emphasizes communication over physical control. When considering issues of conflict during police-civilian contact, minimizing use of force and preventing injury, we need to consider the unintentional consequences of a principle such as the warrior mindset and its impact on both community relations and officer wellbeing. Ask, “Is it more likely to lead to an increased risk of injury for both citizens and officers alike?”, “How does it impact community trust and officer wellness? “, “How does it support or impede the cultivation of the very values many agencies focus on during recruitment?”. This includes compassion, respect, communication and accountability—values that are essential for achieving the overarching goals laid out above. Such an inquiry invites us to think more deeply @Blue_LineMag
Given the complexity and dynamic nature of policing, it is highly unlikely that any one model, theory or approach will hold the answers we seek, but adopting an integrated interdisciplinary perspective will help ensure no stone is left unturned and no option is under-analyzed. about new possibilities that may better meet the realities of today. While officer safety should always be an organizational priority, we also need to rethink what contributes to officer safety. For example, recent work around resilience training would suggest officers who are less resilient have a tendency towards anger, cynicism and low tolerance while more resilient officers tend to be less stressed and more situationally aware. It is not a stretch to suggest that resilience training may have a place in addressing certain issues in policing. Incorporating an interdisciplinary approach in the development of a national model for de-escalation and crisis intervention training can be of value in helping us better understand how these situations occur. Such an understanding holds the potential to help identify critical ‘turning points’ in police/civilian interactions that may support the development of training that enhances officer response through improved awareness and cognitive flexibility. It is common to adopt cause-and-effect logic when analyzing use of force encounters. In fact, it could be suggested that most use of force training and models are built upon the very logic of causation. While there is validity to the cause-andeffect logic in certain situations, we must question the limitations of such frameworks, particularly when considering the goals of de-escalation and crisis intervention training. From a non-reductionist perspective, it is suggested that causation logic is limiting in that it does not necessarily account for the emergent and dynamic unfolding nature of situations, and, more importantly, the pinpointing of critical ‘turning points’ as opportunity for de-escalation and inter-
vention. A non-reductionist approach would describe a situation as a series of micro events that emerge from, and are conditioned by (but not necessarily caused by), the preceding events. Such a framework more adequately accounts for the temporal relations, and subsequent leverage points, within the unfolding situation. Consider the following scenario: a police officer responds to a call for a person in crisis and the person is armed with a knife. The exchange between the officer and the individual involves a series of turns—also known as micro events—and each turn is conditioned by the preceding turn. The turns below are represented as ‘order/response’ and ‘response/order’. Turn 1: Drop the knife/NO Turn 2: NO/drop the knife Turn 3: Drop the knife/ F*** you (steps forward) In this scenario, the officer focuses on rendering the situation safe through a series of verbal commands directed at dropping the knife. Despite his efforts, the person does not comply. From a causeand-effect perspective, we can predict how this situation might end, which highlights the limitations of a cause-effect cycle. However, if we assess what is happening at each ‘turn’ through a different lens, we can potentially alter the conditions (through communication and action) of each exchange, thereby influencing and de-escalating the situation. This requires a certain level of ‘meta-awareness’ and cognitive adaptability that necessitates the monitoring and adapting of tactics rather than pre-maturely anticipating future states. Critical reviews of current best practices would be best served through an integrated interdisciplinary approach that involves a level of depth and breadth that leaves no stone unturned. Nothing happens in isolation. Everything is interconnected— either being acted upon or acting upon. Our challenge is to see the forest through the trees as we move forward with the modernization of policing in ways that honours the communities we serve and the people committed to serving those communities. Lori Horne is the founder of Situational Awareness Training & Research (SATR), a training and consulting business resulting from her doctoral work and fuelled by her experience as a Toronto police officer. She can be reached at info@satr.co or through satr.co.
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
19
EDUCATION
Policing and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
P
olicing is evolving at a rapid pace and officers must stay updated on changes to legislation, technology and social issues to be proficient in their role. One of the critical health and social issues impacting society is prenatal alcohol exposure. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe the range of disabilities and diagnoses that result from drinking alcohol during pregnancy. This disorder can cause permanent brain injury and impairments that affect individuals their entire life. The impacts of prenatal alcohol exposure vary from person to person and cause an array of disabilities or loss of capacities. This is why it is considered a disorder that falls along a continuum or spectrum. Specific birth defects
20
BLUE LINE | March 2021
and the degree of the disability can depend on how much alcohol was consumed, how often and when during the pregnancy (though no amount of alcohol during pregnancy is considered safe). It can also depend on the state of health of the pregnant woman. FASD is one of the most common disabilities in society today—even more common than autism. In Canada, it is estimated that more than 3,000 babies are born with FASD each year and about 300,000 people are currently living with the disorder. Given this statistic, there is a high probability a police officer will encounter someone with FASD. Studies published in the Journal of Law Enforcement and the International Journal of Psychiatry indicate individuals with FASD are likely to have contact with police, whether by being involved in a
3,000 babies are born with FASD each year
10% of the Canadian population is estimated to have FASD
criminal act as a victim, witness or suspect. While it is estimated that individuals with FASD only make up about 10 per cent of the population in Canada, studies also suggest affected individuals are 15 times more likely to be a victim of crime. They are also believed to be overrepresented in the correctional system. Some estimates claim FASD individuals make up as much as 40 per cent of the prison population. One of the greatest difficulties police officers face in regard to this disability is, unlike other disabilities, people with FASD typically do not present with visual signs or indicators of having a cognitive impairment, nor is their disability often detected in speech. It is estimated less than 10 per cent of individuals diagnosed with FASD have observable facial features indicative of this disability that could provide officers www.BlueLine.ca
PH0TO: ©ANATOLIY_GLEB / ADOBE STOCK
By Peter Wigand
PHOTO: PROSTOCK-STUDIO / ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS / GETTY IMAGES
with a sign they may have impairments due to prenatal alcohol exposure. Without indicators, officers are often disadvantaged when engaging citizens with cognitive impairments and are therefore unaware of a need to alter their approach. Officers may, however, see signs of this disability through the person’s secondary challenges. Secondary challenges are those not directly caused by the prenatal exposure of alcohol but that develop over time as the culmination of their limitations. These challenges faced by individuals with FASD very commonly present as secondary mental health issues. It is estimated 90 per cent of diagnosed individuals struggle with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, ADHD and bipolar disorder. Other secondary challenges are homelessness, addictions and involvement with the justice system. Officers may see individuals with an FASD as people who impulsively commit crimes or appear to commit the same crime repetitively (breaches of conditions). Alternatively, they may commit a crime with a high likelihood of being caught (inability to predict consequences/ outcomes). A common experience for those serving people with FASD is an incredulous questioning of why the individual “just doesn’t seem to get it”. Individuals with FASD think differently, depending on where the damage to the brain occurred. Often affected persons are concrete thinkers and may not understand sarcasm or irony. They may also be people pleasers or appear to be engaged in a conversation while they may not actually understand what is being said. For example, when an individual with FASD is provided with a charter and caution, they may respond by agreeing while not remotely understanding their rights. Instead, they commonly respond the way they believe the officer wants. People with this disability are often also very skilled at parroting back phrases without understanding their meaning. They can be very convincing in their intentions or promises but not be able to follow through. @Blue_LineMag
While it is estimated that individuals with FASD only make up about 10 per cent of the population in Canada, studies suggest affected individuals are 15 times more likely to be a victim of crime. Police need to be aware that individuals with FASD are more likely to provide false confessions. Prior to interviewing, officers should be scanning for potential indicators as a present disability may impact the statement or answers provided. This is not to say that individuals living with FASD cannot provide accurate information. Every individual varies in relation to cognitive and physical strengths and abilities but, through the utilization of best practices, accurate information can be obtained. Recommendations to increase the validity of information provided: • Speak to individuals using plain language and check to gauge their understanding by asking them to explain the meaning of a statement (not just repeat it back). • Section 715.1(2) of the Criminal Code of Canada allows video statements to be taken from individuals with disabilities to be used as evidence in court (as is done with children). It is good practice to record these interviews. • Officers are recommended to use appropriate interview techniques (peace method/ cognitive interview) as well as tools such as open-ended questions and audio/ video recording of interviews whenever possible.
40% of the prison population is made up of FASD individuals, researchers suggest
Canada FASD Research Network (CanFASD) also offers free online training to officers and individuals working in the justice system should anyone want more information on this subject. Learn more by visiting https:// canfasd.ca.
• When speaking with someone with FASD, try to eliminate as many distractions as you can; turn down your radio, turn off the patrol lights (individuals with FASD may also have sensory or attention issues). • Police must work in partnership through multidisciplinary teams with prosecution, probation, health and social services as well as community agencies to share information and better understand the individual’s needs, strengths, limitations and how to best support them collectively. As a result of the challenges faced, courts in Canada have viewed FASD as a mitigating factor. It does not absolve individuals from the crimes committed, but it is a factor to consider at sentencing. Case law on this topic is growing but by officers knowing more about FASD and the impacts it may have on a person, officers will be better prepared to recognize some of the possible indicators and tailor their approach to achieve better outcomes for all those involved. Cst. Peter Wigand is the youth FASD program officer for the Lethbridge Police Service. He can be contacted at FASD@ lethbridgepolice.ca.
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
21
TECHNOLOGY
BY BRIEANNA CHARLEBOIS
Tracking domestic violence perpetrators Attenti technology provides domestic violence GPS/RF precision location tracking and monitoring.
C
OVID-19 has shed light on the ongoing issue of domestic violence in Canada. Stay-at-home orders, intended to protect the public and prevent widespread infection became commonplace, but left many Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) victims trapped with their abusers and subject to increased daily exposure to violence. Social distancing and isolation also meant victims had less access to the support of friends and family, and reduced availability to health care resources. International research has documented a significant increase in domestic violence and child abuse during crises such as the current pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified domestic violence as a major global public health concern that affects millions of people and can result in immediate and long-lasting health, social and economic consequences. According to WHO, every six days, a woman is killed by an intimate partner (note: domestic violence is not limited to women). The Canadian government also lists violence against women and children as one of the most significant societal issues endangering Canadians’ health and well-being, and said COVID-19 has made these problems more severe. A recent Statistics Canada analysis of data collected from 17 police forces across the country shows that calls related to domestic disturbances (which could involve anything from a verbal quarrel to reports of violence) rose by almost 12 per cent between March and June of 2020 compared to the same four months in 2019. Canada’s Assaulted Women’s Helpline also reported 51,299 calls between April 1 and Sept. 30 (the centre compared to 24,010 in the same time in 2019) and received 20,334 calls between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, compared to 12,352 over the same period the previous year. “It’s very disturbing to know that there are so many women who are in this really precarious situation,” said Yvonne Harding, manager of resource development at the Canada’s Assaulted Women’s Hotline. “There may have been limited support for them beforehand, but at least they had outlets. [When] everything closed overnight, our crisis lines lit up.” 22
BLUE LINE | March 2021
It allows for real-time tracking of the aggressors location according to pre-defined zones and proximity to the victim, multiple layers of security around the victim at all times and constant supervision at the monitoring centre. Coinciding with this recent uptick in cases, Prod360 Inc., a Canadian company who works to provide specialized equipment for military and police, recently began advocating for and providing domestic violence GPS/RF precision location tracking/monitoring in Canada. “When the victims have the courage to go to the police and, in some cases, testify in court, it should be up to the community to protect her,” said Stephane Girard, president of Prod360. “A restrictive order without a solution to control or act quickly is simply not enough.” Attenti, an electronic monitoring company, was the first in the world to develop a technology-based solution to protect victims of IPV. The company’s 360 degree solution integrates bespoke technology (hardware and software) and has monitoring centres staffed by real people specifically trained to deal with DV situations. Previously, solutions to domestic violence were limited to emergency lines, shelters, safe houses, restriction orders, police escorts, aggressor imprisonment
(non-technology solutions) and/or panic buttons, reverse tagging and aggressor monitoring (technology-driven solutions). Seeing this gap, Attenti developed a bi-lateral system which continues to robustly monitor the offender with the goal of empowering victims by allowing them to heal by returning to daily routines without fear of violence or the potential to encounter their abuser. Girard also asserts this will make policing these matters much easier. “When perpetrators know they are being traced, they are less likely to take risks to break conditions. This means police will have to conduct fewer interventions and be able to focus on other important matters,” he said. “It also aims police with relevant information so if the perpetrator breaks the perimeter conditions, law enforcement has a better chance of arriving before a crime occurs. It’s not a magic solution but will definitively make a perpetrator think twice.” It allows for real-time tracking of the aggressors location according to pre-defined zones and proximity to the victim, multiple layers of security around the victim at all times and constant supervision at the monitoring centre. Should there be violations, the technology immediately sends an alert notification to multiple stakeholders and authorities, easing the work of police. To discuss the impacts of domestic violence Blue Line is partnering with Prod360 to present a webinar on domestic violence in May. Stay tuned for more information by visiting blueline.ca. If interested in learning more about the technology, visit www.prod360.ca and/or www. attentigroup.com. www.BlueLine.ca
CASE LAW
BY MIKE NOVAKOWSKI
Denying access to counsel roadside amounted to Charter breach
N
ew Brunswick’s top court has sent a clear signal to police that denying access to counsel at the scene of an arrest and delaying it until arriving at the police station as a usual practice amounts to an “egregious” Charter breach. In R. v. Landry, 2020 NBCA 72, the accused was stopped driving by police at 2:48 a.m. The officer detected the odour of alcohol on Landry’s breath, who admitted to having consumed some. An approved screening device demand was made for a breath sample but Landry refused to exit his vehicle. After three orders to exit and an obstruction warning, Landry exited his vehicle while holding his cell phone. The officer asked him to leave the phone in his vehicle or it would be seized. On the sixth attempt for a sample, Landry complied and registered a fail. He was arrested and, at 3:15 a.m., was informed of his s. 10(b) Charter rights. Landry told the officer he had a lawyer and wanted to speak with him immediately using his cell phone. The officer refused the request before they arrived at the police station. After arriving at the station (at 3:40 a.m.), the first attempt to contact his lawyer was made by police at 3:45 a.m. to no answer. He made several more attempts to reach his lawyer and others without success. At 4:34 a.m., Landry was given the following Prosper warning: “You have already been informed of your right to contact duty counsel or another lawyer. You have clearly indicated that you want to talk to a lawyer, but you have changed your mind (or you have not clearly indicated to me whether you want to talk to a lawyer). You have the right to a reasonable opportunity to contact a lawyer for advice and, before obtaining evidence from you, I am required to wait until you exercise or waive that right. Do you want to waive your right to contact duty counsel or another lawyer?” Landry replied, “I do not waive it, but what do you want me to do?” Within four minutes, he was then turned over to the qualified technician who took two breath samples—the first was taken at 4:45 a.m. In New Brunswick Provincial Court, the trial judge found Landry had been provid@Blue_LineMag
Although the evidence was reliable and society’s interest in an adjudication of this case on its merits favoured the admission of the certificate of analysis, the other two factors in the s.24(2) analysis favoured exclusion. ed a reasonable opportunity to consult a lawyer but had not been diligent in exercising his right, meaning the Prosper warning did not matter. Landry was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while over 80mg per cent. He later appealed to the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench. The appeal judge found Landry’s s.10(b) Charter right was breached. Although he too found a Prosper warning unnecessary, he held the investigating officer did not provide Landry with a reasonable opportunity to retain and instruct counsel without delay at the time of his arrest. As a consequence, the certificate of analysis was excluded under s.24(2) and Landry was acquitted. The Crown challenged the finding of a s.10(b) breach to New Brunswick’s highest court but the Court of Appeal rejected the Crown’s arguments. In this case, the Court of Appeal recognized there were two s.10(b) breaches. First, the initial refusal by the officer at the time of arrest to permit access to counsel was one breach. Although Landry told the officer he wanted to consult his lawyer without delay by using his cell phone, he was told he would have to wait until they arrived at the police station. “The case law could not be clearer on the issue of when an accused is entitled to avail himself or herself of his or her right to counsel,” said Justice LeBlond. “The right applies immediately following arrest and reading of constitutional rights. No evidence may be obtained before the right is exercises. In this case, Mr. Landry was entitled to use his cell phone to try to contact his lawyer, but the police officer refused to let him do so.
He went so far as to threaten Mr. Landry that his cell phone would be seized if he did not leave it in his car.” The second breach occurred when Landry was read the Prosper warning. The Prosper warning is to be given when a detainee, who has asserted a desire to speak to counsel, changes their mind and waives their right to counsel or does not respond clearly to a police officer. Neither of these situations applied here. “Mr. Landry never waived his right and, moreover, he was completely unaware of the legal import of the Prosper warning,” said LeBlond. “The warning makes no reference to the attempts made until it was read and simply informs Mr. Landry that his right under s.10(b) of the Charter subsists and that he continues to have a reasonable opportunity to contact a lawyer. All Mr. Landry can be expected to understand from the warning is that the police officer is telling him, at 4:34 a.m., that he still has a reasonable opportunity to exercise his right and that the police officer has to wait until he does so before obtaining, in this case, samples of his breath... The police officer did not allow Mr. Landry to exercise, within a reasonable time, the right he had just confirmed to him and instead told him there was nothing more to be done. At 4:38 a.m., only four minutes after receiving the warning from the police officer, the qualified technician took charge of Mr. Landry.” The Court of Appeal went on to uphold the Court of Queen’s Bench decision to exclude the certificate of analysis. Although the evidence was reliable and society’s interest in an adjudication of this case on its merits favoured the admission of the certificate of analysis, the other two factors in the s.24(2) analysis favoured exclusion. Firstly, the officer’s usual practice (not allowing access to counsel at the place of arrest)was very serious Charter-infringing conduct. Secondly, the two s.10(b) breaches undermined Landry’s right to counsel. The violation of his constitutional right was “committed deliberately and egregiously”. The Crown’s leave to appeal was denied.
Mike Novakowski is Blue Line’s case law columnist.
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
23
OFF THE SHELF Community Policing: The Path to Healthier Relationships – a Police Chaplain’s Perspective By Dr. Francis Mpindu; 2020, 144 pages ISBN-10 : 0228833620
Officers are currently facing stressors associated with the pandemic combined with an international call to reform (and, in some cases, to defund) the police. We live in a modern democratic society where every single individual deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, and human rights must be provided equally to all. This has resulted in increased attention to interactions between the police and the public, often fueled by negative media coverage. It has never been more important to build positive relationships and develop more nuanced understanding. Dr. Francis (Munangi) Mpindu brings all of these issues together and discusses them through the various lenses of his vast experience, including his unique view as an experienced police chaplain and alternative dispute and conflict resolution practitioner. He presents the notion that we are one with the communities we serve and that, it is only through open, honest and transparent relationships with the public that police can perform their duties well. But, he writes, this must be far more than lip service. Many have tried and failed, often as a result of a lack of commitment to community mobilization and engagement. It is only through an authentic desire to truly engage and serve that the police will succeed and be able to truly protect those whom we are sworn to protect. Dr. Mpindu does far more than explain the complex relationships between the police and the public. He spends so much of the book focusing on the service of frontline police officers. They too are impacted by everyday life, but also face immense added pressures placed on them as a result of their duties, the horrific things that they see and, at times, must do. For that, I personally thank Dr. Mpindu and other police chaplains for the critical role they play in “serving those who protect.” -CHIEF STEVE TANNER, HALTON REGIONAL POLICE CHIEF S.J. (STEVE) TANNER, BA, MPA, OOM, CMMIII HALTON REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE, OAKVILLE, ONTARIO. CANADA
24
BLUE LINE | March 2021
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
Find more product info at www.BlueLine.ca/products
Human Pharmaceuticals launches TPR20 Pain Relief Cream and Get Sleeping
Human Pharmaceuticals’ TPR-20 Pain Relief Cream works immediately to block pain transmission by topically carrying key ingredients to the pain site when and directly where they are needed. With powerful anti-inflammatories and antioxidants, TPR 20 Pain Relief Cream not only works to relieve pain but initiates tissue repair and addresses the secondary stage in which chronic conditions occur. Human Pharmaceuticals’ Get Sleeping is a new approach for treating sleep issues by directly addressing underlying causes of insomnia, sleep disturbances and sleep disorders. The ingredients of Get Sleeping work to calm the brain, reduce stress and anxiety enabling a person to fall asleep faster. It also helps to achieve both slow-wave, non-REM and REM sleep, which are essential to waking up refreshed and restored. www.humnpharmaceuticals.com.
Aussie Peelback releases TQ SIDEKICK
Made in Canada, the TQ SIDEKICK from Aussie Peelback is a simple elastic-based pouch that allows for the reliable and consistent storage of your CAT or SOFT tourniquet at an affordable price. Its mounting solution is compatible with all of the following: MED Plate 2.0, MED Pate SKIN, MOLLE, dress belts and gun fighter belts, velcro dangler pouch for plate carriers. It comes with a lifetime warranty. www.aussiepeelback.com
TOA releases personal PA System to control crowds hands free
TOA Canada released its enhanced Personal PA System in February. When attempting to create a safe environment with a large group of people, a voice must project loud enough for all to hear. To accommodate this, the ER-1000A-BT delivers clear audio instructions, essential in many events while allowing the use of your hands for further direction. The wearable equipment has a slightly curved design to fit over the waist. With a built-in digital amplifier and an optimized frequency for speech, it produces a clear projection that can overcome noisy crowds and street corners. The lightweight system will cover a range of up to 100m (300ft), is very easy to operate and runs on either 6 (9 V DC) Alkaline batteries or 6 (7.2 V DC) rechargeable NiMH batteries. Retaining the quality and durability of the original ER-1000 model, the new design features an AUX input terminal and a significant improvement has been the addition of Bluetooth connection. The Personal PA System can also pair to a compatible device. A personal megaphone and speaker all in one, the product has a wide range of uses in our everyday lives to increase safety for all. www.toacanada.com
Are you receiving
News Week?
Subscribe today! www.blueline.ca www.BlueLine.ca
MARKETPLACE
Check it out at BLUE | LINKS • www.BlueLine.ca/referrals
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
BL_Jan_Crimestoppers.indd 1
@BlueLineMagazine
Pride in service.indd 1 2018-12-11 2:11 PM
@Blue_LineMag
THE 808 Toronto Police Gift Shop 416-808-7024 • gift.shop@tps.ca Toronto Police Museum 416-808-7020 • museum@torontopolice.on.ca
2018-07-12 2:12 PM
@BlueLineMagazine
@bluelinemag
WE HAVE YOU
COVERED!
Subscribe Today to Canada’s #1 Law Enforcement Magazine. Visit BlueLine.ca to subscribe! blueline.ca/opinion/ corrections-corner
@Blue_LineMag
March 2021 | BLUE LINE
25
BACK OF THE BOOK BY TOM WETZEL
A lesson in listening
Y
ears ago, I attended a leadership cause Sgt. Leisure was given the autontraining class where the in- omy and creative license to develop and structor conducted an interest- run the program. ing exercise. He showed us a We can’t ask officers to come up with Styrofoam cup and told us we had to ideas but then micro-manage or take conquickly come up with ten things we could trol of the process thereby stifling their do with it: writing on it, breaking it up— energy. Instead, we must be willing to let basically any application we could think of. go of the reins (within reason, of course) to I immediately thought of let them take control. seven ideas but, as the clock ran With all the There are many ways to out, struggled to come up with challenges that learn and discover new ideas ideas for the final three. I don’t police officers from the officers you work remember if I made it to 10 but face today, it is alongside or who work under what followed afterward left a vital that their your direction. It is a simple lasting impression. The in- leaders concept: ask and listen. This structor tore off big sheets of recognize that can be obtained through sugpaper from an easel and spread they have at gestion boxes, casual converthem out for us to write down their disposal sation, formal staff meetings our answers. “I never thought of some smart or via department surveys. that”, was the most common and committed For officers who want to response when seeing a new idea public servants develop promising ideas, we written down by fellow offi- who, if given need to give them the space cer. The goal of the instructor the chance, and opportunity to do so. They was really simple: he was basic- could improve need a certain degree of autonally trying to teach us that those upon our police omy and creative license to we work with us have so much service model allow for more of their ingenuto offer if we only listen. It was in ways, both ity to be discovered and utilan outstanding lesson that I will big and small. ized. Of course, oversight is never forget—and one every still needed and sometimes leader should heed. your input and expertise can be helpful to Police managers and leaders have a move a project along, but it’s important to wealth of knowledge and ideas available to allow their vision to take shape. It’s also them, if they are only willing to ferret them critical to let them know up front not to out. Too often they are not interested in sweat it if an idea that sounded good doing so, may think they have all the an- doesn’t work out. Great inventors certainly swers they need or can figure it out on had to go back to the drawing board too. their own. Hubris can do that to many who Risk-taking will always involve certain levreach advanced levels of leadership but it’s els of success and failure, and we must be a shame because they are only limiting the willing to keep trying until we succeed. success of their agency and stifling proWith all the challenges that police offiductivity and the self-actualization of their cers face today, it is vital that their leaders personnel. It’s like sitting on a treasure recognize that they have at their disposal but being unwilling to dig for it. some smart and committed public serWhen a department encourages and vants who, if given the chance, could imchannels its human resources, it will prove upon our police service model in discover new and better ways to serve its ways, both big and small. Take advantage customers. For example, Richmond of your talent and give it the resources it Heights Police Sergeant Todd Leisure, a needs. You and your agency will be better former Marine and scout master, came up for it. with a unique idea for youth outreach by Tom Wetzel is the chief of police in developing a program called Cop Scouts. Richmond Heights, Ohio, a Northeast A blend of cub/girl scouts and police exOhio suburban police lieutenant and plorers program, it’s geared for for eight former SWAT commander. He is also a to 12-years-old and teaches them life certified law enforcement executive, skills while providing opportunities for adjunct professor in community policing and friendship and fun. It is successful be- internationally published author on police topics. 26
BLUE LINE | March 2021
BLUE LINKS Advertisers Directory
Discover more about these law enforcement suppliers at www.BlueLine.ca/referrals
CATF
16
Commissionaires Canada
2
Dalton Associates
7
FCA Canada Inc. - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
28
Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers
24
ILET Summits Inc.
17
Paragon Security
27
Pride in Service
24
Toronto Police Museum & Gift Shop
24
University of Guelph-Humber
11
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@blueline.ca
Visit blueline.ca for the latest news, stories, products, videos, photo galleries and industry events
www.BlueLine.ca
A History of Sharing Knowledge Delivering educational programs to the security industry since 1998 Over 280,000 personnel trained Over 3.1M courses completed
Learn more about the Paragon Professional Institute and our Basic Security Training and see why our programs are the most advanced in the industry. www.paragonsecurity.ca
BUILT TO PROTECT. READY TO SERVE.
THE NEW 2021 DODGE DURANGO ENFORCER The 2021 Dodge Durango Enforcer means business. On the outside, it has been redesigned with a new, bold exterior that speaks to the power that lies under the hood – an available legendary 5.7L V8 HEMI® engine, which outputs 360 horsepower for maximum performance whenever you need it. On the inside, the Enforcer is serious about safety. It comes equipped with over 60 standard and available safety features, for the ultimate in protection. It also conquers Canadian weather with its standard, advanced All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system for optimal tactical performance and all-weather traction. The 2021 Durango Enforcer is the complete performance package, and the perfect addition to your fleet.
fcafleet.ca | 1 800 463 3600