BL – March - 2017

Canada’s Law Enforcement Information Specialists

FORENSIC SCIENCE

A vital role in criminal justice

PM 40065710

BlueLine.ca

March 2017

March 2017 Volume 29 Number 3

Features 6

12

6

Forensic Science

8

Supporting the forgotten victims

10

Special Constables in Ontario

12

Running for mental-health awareness

16

Critical thinking

17

Strong Woman in Blue

18

Keeping Canada Safe

20

Shot Show 2017 Highlights

21

Blue Line travels to Cartagena, Colombia

A vital role in criminal justice Improving the notification process

The response to potentially deadly cyber-attacks must be preparation and co-operation

A snapshot of the lives of the people keeping Canada safe

Departments 17

30 19 30 28 14 27 26 15 29 28 5 25

Advertisers Index Back in the Day Back of the Book Calendar Deep Blue Dispatches Holding the Line Health and Fitness Market Place Product Showcase Editor’s Commentary Technology

Case Law 19 BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

22

Justice’s assistance to investigator in preparing ITO did not cross the line

23

The high cost of breaching informer privilege

3

MARCH 2017

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Blue Line

EDITOR’S COMMENTARY

by Tom Rataj

www.blueline.ca

By the numbers

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As I watch the ongoing public controversy about street-checks (aka “carding”) run-on like Niagara Falls, I’m often struck by the statistical data typically quoted by the mainstream media and other critics, who claim that the practice is inherently biased against certain identifiable groups.

On the face of it these stats may look pretty disturbing and convincing to many people, but as with so many other things, looking a little closer and with a more knowledgeable eye, a much different picture begins to emerge.

While I’m no statistician, I understand the truth behind the famous line comparing stats to bikinis – as important for what they show as for what they hide.

When the street-checks controversy was spawned by certain mainstream media outlets, it appears that most police services were completely surprised and flummoxed by how to deal with the resulting storm. Other than a few meek protestations and generalities about their importance, most services just seemed to stick their heads in the proverbial sand, hoping that this too shall pass. Which it clearly hasn’t.

Critics demanded that police services prove the value of street-checks by providing examples and data about their value in solving individual crimes. Providing that proof unfortunately is not so simple because one isolated street-check is often not the only key to solving one individual crime or a series of crimes. This simplistic view also fails to recognise all the other inherent value that the street-checks process offers, such as crime-prevention and deterrence.

In speaking with some of my personal acquaintances and neighbours, all from outside the policing community, I quickly learned that many of them had been convinced by the media coverage that street-checks were discriminatory, unnecessary and an infringement of civil liberties. They asked me questions about them and it became readily apparent that they all had a fundamental misunderstanding of the process, purpose and value of street checks.

The usual argument trotted-out by the media goes something like this: Gotham has X number of residents in total, and only X percent are a certain identifiable group, yet the members of that identifiable group represent a much higher percentage of the residents being street-checked by the police, therefore the police are acting in a discriminatory fashion against that group … and because of that, all street-checks should be banned.

But hang-on just a second, what do those stats really mean, and do they actually have any value at all, all by themselves, in such a broad “this vs that” comparison? Without 5

any context I really wonder how much value these raw stats have.

I wonder whether analysing the numbers along with a variety of contextual data would reveal a much different, more accurate and valuable picture of the situation. I would think that geographic and demographic information, crime types, rates and locations, date and time and other factors often plumbed by crime analysts would help provide that picture. Data about all the residents of Gotham would also need to be included, to provide an accurate understanding of what is happening.

In addition to the questionable stats, I suspect that part of the problem with streetchecks, as with some other police activities, is that they have been compromised by the pursuit of numbers, driven by a “we want more” mantra from various levels of management with different motivations and agendas.

Because of that quantity instead of quality pressure, officers go out and about, collecting numbers to appease the bosses.

The good looking numbers are often carefully collated and presented in quarterly, annually, year-over-year, and five and 10 year trends and other questionably useful standards, convincingly presented in colourful and splashy exploded pie-charts and 3-D bar-charts in meetings at various levels and of course the annual report.

While it’s important to measure numbers for many useful management purposes, there’s a huge risk in allowing that measurement and the numbers alone to become the sole focus and the driving force behind the work. The relentless push for more and bigger numbers can quickly erode the quality of those numbers and create a variety of downstream problems, such as what I suspect has happened with street-checks: a numbers-focussed exercise that morphed an important crime prevention, deterrence and intelligence gathering tool into a questionably useful statistics gathering exercise that’s come back to punish us.

I also wonder whether a bit more candor and a major reengineering right at the start of the controversy would have helped mitigate it and prevent the restrictive legislation that is surely to negatively impact community safety in the coming years.

MARCH 2017

FORENSIC SCIENCE

A vital role in criminal justice

By Wade Knaap and Jessica Piekny Forensic science has and continues to play a vital role in the criminal justice system. The first criminalistics laboratory in North America opened its doors in Montreal in 1914. The Laboratoire de recherches médico-légales was the vision and creation of Dr. Wilfrid Derome.

Since its humble beginnings, forensic science has evolved into what is arguably the greatest investigative tool available to police, and ultimately a requirement for the criminal courts with many Trier of Facts being reluctant to register conviction without corroborative or supportive forensic evidence.

Forensic science is the application of science to a legal investigation (medicoMARCH 2017

legal). Advancements within the scientific community continue with new and emerging technologies being introduced at an accelerated rate. It is imperative that these novel techniques, equipment and methodologies are scrutinized or vetted prior to their acceptance within the criminal justice system. Permitting “junk science” to be tendered as evidence diminishes the integrity and importance of all forensic evidence, potentially weakening its significance or evidentiary value. It is therefore incumbent upon the legal system to ensure that scientific evidence meets a standard of excellence before it is introduced into a legal enquiry.

In 2009, the National Academy of Science Report: “Strengthening Forensic Science in 6

the United States: A Path Forward” was published. Often referred to as the NAS report, it examined the status of forensic science in the U.S., offering both positive and negative criticisms in an effort to improve the forensic science disciplines.

The NAS report concluded, “with the exception of nuclear DNA analysis … no forensic method has been rigorously shown to have the capacity to consistently, and with a high degree of certainty, demonstrate a connection between evidence and a specific individual or source.”

Certain forensic disciplines were identified as being particularly flawed: ballistic evidence, fire investigations, and bite mark evidence. Although the report was localized to the U.S., its rippling effect impacts the Canadian criminal judicial system as well.

This assessment served as a wake-up call to the forensic science disciplines and has encouraged the community to self-assess its practices, methodologies and conclusions.

Following in the footsteps of the NAS report, in 2016 The Executive Office of the President of the United States – The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), reported on the following topic: Forensic Science in Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity of Feature-Comparison Methods.

The PCAST report identified and readdressed two areas of criticism that were highlighted in the earlier NAS report. PCAST concluded two major gaps: BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

1. There isn’t enough clarity regarding the reliability and validity standards for forensic methodology 2. A need to evaluate certain disciplines to determine whether they have been scientifically established as a valid and reliable means of comparison evidence.

The NAS and PCAST reports are often referenced in court by defence counsel in an effort to discredit forensic science and limit its acceptance or evidentiary weight. Although many of the arguments highlighted in these reports are unwarranted or unfounded, nevertheless they do create issues for practitioners tendering evidence in court.

Since the early 1990s, American and international forensic science laboratories and practitioners collaborated in Scientific Working Groups (SWGs) to improve discipline best practices and create consensus standards or guidelines. These working groups were dedicated to individual forensic disciplines across all platforms. (Example – SWGFAST: Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis, Study and Technology). The scientific working groups were supported by the US Department of Justice and continued to function in an advisory capacity, providing guidance and validation to forensic science disciplines.

In 2014, the SWGs were restructured under the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a division of the US Department of Commerce. NIST, along with professionals within the forensic science community, established the new Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC). The mandate of this organization is to coordinate the development of standards and guidelines for each of the disciplines within the forensic science community and to improve the quality and consistency of work performed by the investigators and professionals in the field.

Notwithstanding the significance of these reports, forensic investigators need to be diligent and aware of these and other trending topics that may affect their ability to tender evidence in court. Many of these current issues can be attributed to case law, particularly: • Daubert v. Merrell Dow Phamaceuticals, 509 U.S. 579 (1993) – (U.S.), or • R. v. Mohan, (1994) 2 SCR 9 – (Canada)

It should be duly noted that forensic science remains a vital component of the Canadian criminal justice system, and practitioners remain dedicated to ensuring it responds with due diligence in maintaining the current standard of excellence.

Wade Knaap is a part-time faculty member with the University of Toronto (Mississauga) Forensic Science Program and a retired Toronto Police forensic identification officer. He can be reached at: wade.knaap@utoronto.ca.

Jessica Piekny is a Crime Scene Support Technician with the Toronto Police Service Forensic Identification Service.

These two judicial decisions form the foundation and threshold for the admissibility of any scientific evidence in court: 1. Whether the theory and technique have been tested; 2. Whether the theory and technique have been subjected to peer review and publication; 3. Known or potential error rate; 4. Existence and maintenance of standards; and 5. General acceptance within relevant scientific community.

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MARCH 2017 2017-01-11 11:54 AM

Supporting the forgotten

VICTIMS

Improving the notification process

By Scott Villers In the province of Ontario a great deal of controversy and discussion has arisen from incidents of use of force involving police and mentally ill persons. As a result, there have been calls for reform to police training, which has resulted in police services in the Greater Toronto Area examining their policies, procedures and training when dealing with these situations. A great deal of work and progress has been made in this area.

The criminal justice system has also came under examination when a person suffering from mental illness is charged criminally and is found not criminally responsible (NCR) after a trial. In the City of Toronto, one of the most recent high profile cases was the trial of Richard Kachkar. He was tried for the death of Toronto Police Sergeant Ryan Russell. He was found to be NCR by virtue of a mental illness.

One of the major follow on issues for those found NCR after a trial is the limited notification resources for the victims of those criminal acts. It is important to address both the wellbeing and safety of the victims and their family, and for the wellbeing, safety and proper management of the subject found NCR. Proper notification and management of information means that law enforcement and the health care resources are better able to manage the needs and concerns of both victims and the subject while the risky work of attempting to rehabilitate and re-integrate MARCH 2017

the subject into society is undertaken.

Proper notification systems allow the police and other services to manage the concerns of both the victims and subjects, while reducing the heightened tensions caused by the victim’s genuine fear that the subject is being released and whether or not they are properly prepared and supported. The tensions caused by these issues rise measurably when the media is also alarmed.

This issue has now been addressed by the Toronto Police Service and a new process has been created to support and inform the victims involved in these types of cases.

The Issue When a person is found NCR they will become the subject of an Ontario Review Board (ORB) assessment. The assessment includes the subject and their lawyer, counsel for the crown and a hospital representative. In this process there is limited opportunity for victim participation. A victim may choose to prepare a victim impact statement for the tribunal. The Toronto Police Service and Victim Services do provide support to the victim before and during the trial but there are few resources or support for the victim when the ORB assessment occurs.

Once declared NCR and further assessed, the subject is bound by an ORB disposition.

The disposition usually results in the subject being admitted to a psychiatric facility for treatment and may eventually result in greater degrees of freedom until the subject begins 8

to live in the community while still bound by the conditions of the ORB disposition. While under an ORB disposition, the subject may be granted privileges including day passes (if they are held in a facility). This is dependent on the mental state of the subject and the progress they are making with their treatment.

Historically there has been an issue with psychiatric facilities not notifying the police or victims about these decreasing restrictions and conditions. Passes were granted to subjects, which resulted in increased fear for the general public and particularly with the victims concerning their safety when it became known that the subject was released temporarily or permanently. This was not helpful in particular for the victims in the matter or the subject declared NCR. This has been seen as an issue for all of the involved parties to safely move on with their lives.

The Response The main psychiatric medical facility in the City of Toronto is the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). This hospital is located within the boundaries of 14 Division (the west side of the downtown core). Officers from 14 Division deal with high volumes of calls about people who suffer from mental illness issues, and frequently make arrests and lay criminal charges as a result of those calls.

Because of the high number of cases involving the mentally ill within 14 Division, Detective Sergeant Ian McArthur identified an issue with the lack of victim notification BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

TEAM

and support in cases where a subject had been found NCR. While the Toronto Police always supports organisations like CAMH with their work helping reintegrate NCR subjects back into the community, there was clearly an area where changes had to take place to ensure support for the victims in the original criminal case.

The process created by Detective Sergeant McArthur and other officers in 14 Division first involved identifying all stakeholders including CAMH, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), TPS Legal Services, TPS Senior Officers, Victim Services and other organisations that are involved in the process.

Numerous meetings then took place during 2016 and a plan was created to address the victim notification issues.

The Plan The process involves the CAMH giving formal notification to the TPS (and to a lesser extent the OPP) of a subject who is under an ORB disposition who has been granted pass privileges. After being notified, the TPS Records Management Services sends a notification to the detective sergeant at the affected division.

The detective sergeant then assigns the notification to the lead investigator who must notify the victim of the new pass privilege being issued, within 24 to 48 hours.

The lead investigator will ensure regular contact with the victim, providing any updates when they become available. Additional updates and notifications are added to the Versadex RMS to ensure proper tracking of the process. Before this system was implemented, lack of communication about the process caused the victims to feel confused and unsupported. With the new system, there are also benefits for the subject on their return to the community.

The new management and notification system went live across the TPS on October 3, 2016.

Even after the introduction of the new process, the TPS has continued to look at ways to respond and improve support to victims of crimes committed by those found NCR. This includes contact with the Ministry of the Attorney General Victim Services program and the formation of an ORB Victim Support Committee which was started in December 2016.

Safer Environment This new management and notification process will allow victims to be kept informed and supported after a subject found NCR is released on day passes.

It also ensures compliance with the Victim Bill of Rights which was passed in 2015. The Bill allows the victim a say in the process.

The process has also allowed for a safer environment where fears are managed and addressed to allow the subject, who is trying to reintegrate into society after a major

illness, to see if their healing is progressing.

The new atmosphere of communication addresses security issues and better manages public safety and concerns.

Scott Villers is a sergeant with the Toronto Police Service. He can be reached at scott.villers@torontopolice.on.ca.

D/Sgt (now Acting Inspector) Ian McArther can be reached at ian.mcarther@torontopolice.on.ca.

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MARCH 2017 2017-02-17 9:34 AM

Special Constables in Ontario

by David Moskowitz In 1831, the British Parliament passed “An act for amending the laws relative to the appointment of Special Constables, and for the better preservation of the Police.” This act created the basis for appointing special constables within our British system of government and allowed for their appointment during times of unrest, if the regular police force was too small in a particular area or required more assistance.

In Ontario, most special constable agencies were not created until the early 1900’s.

The first campus constable: J.P. Christie, began work for the University of Toronto in 1904. In 1967 the special constables of the University of Guelph Campus Police were started, followed in 1988 the Government of Ontario (GO) Transit/Metrolinks Transit Special Constables, and in 2000 the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) special constables.

Authority The Ontario Police Services Act (PSA) provides for the appointment of Special Constables. Section 53 of the Act allows for a Police Services Board (PSB) to appoint Special Constables to act for a period of time, area, and purpose that the board considers expedient. (R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15, s. 53 (1); 1997, c. 8, s. 33 (1).) Special constable are generally authorized for a period of 5 years.

Special constables are considered peace officers and are granted all or some of the authority of regular police officers depending on how their roles are defined. They typically include specific powers, territorial jurisdictions, and other responsibilities that MARCH 2017

are outlined within the terms of the individual appointment. In Ontario, special constables may be hired directly by the private sector.

They typically enforce multiple sections of the Criminal Code of Canada, and other provincial acts as administered under the Ontario Provincial Offences Act: the Mental Health Act, Trespass to Property Act, Liquor License Act, and Safe Streets Act. Education / Training Currently in Ontario the PSA does not regulate specific training requirements for special constables. The appointing PSB will stipulate the type of training required, and most agencies will conduct a basic special constable training program for a period of 50-60 days. The training consists of, but is not limited to: legislative authority, use of force, practical scenarios, mental health, internal policies and procedures, crime prevention, assistance to victims of crimes, public order maintenance, and emergency response.

Their training is usually done by current or retired police personnel who are certified to instruct at the Ontario Police College (OPC) level. They also take part in on-going training provided by their respective agency, as well as the Ontario Police Video Training Alliance, the Canadian Police Knowledge Network as well as various courses conducted by OPC. Uniforms Special constables wear a police-style uniform consisting of forage cap with badge, uniform shirts varying in colour (blue, black, red), uniform pants and coats/jackets, a duty belt, handcuffs, collapsible-baton and OC spray. Their shoulder patch and badge clearly indicate “Special Constable.”

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Where Do They Work Currently there are more than 3,000 special constables in Ontario, which are employed by: police services, the provincial and federal governments, conservation authorities, universities and colleges, and crown corporations. The main agencies are: 1. Public Transit: York Region Transit, Toronto Transit Commission, GO Transit/Metrolinx, OC Transpo 2. University Campuses: University of Toronto, University of Guelph 3. Public Housing: Toronto Community Housing Corporation 4. Court security and prisoner transportation: Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service 5. Government security services: Niagara Parks Police, Parliamentary Protective Services Public Transit The transit special constables conduct patrols on foot and by car, do plain clothes investigations, intelligence gathering and emergency response and community support in various forms. Because they are peace officers they also engage in enforcement activities.

There are approximately 200 special constables employed with public transit agencies in Ontario.

Community Housing The TCHC employs special constables to support the safety and security of the people living in their public housing communities.

Constables are responsible for the preservation of peace and the ongoing community support by foot patrol, mobile patrol, and BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

bicycle patrol. There are approximately 100 special constables employed by TCHC. Universities and Colleges There are approximately 200 special constables in Ontario employed at 9 universities and one college: Brock University, Carleton University, Guelph University, McMaster University, University of Toronto (Mississauga, St George, and Scarborough campuses), University of Waterloo, University of Windsor, Western University, Wilfrid Laurier University and Fanshawe College.

Some universities call their special constables “Campus Police.” The Constables are responsible for general policing duties on campus focusing on students and staff safety.

They work in uniform and plainclothes and patrol on foot, bicycle, and car.

Similar Programs Across Canada Across Canada there are many provinces that employ special constables for the same or

similar purposes as Ontario. Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick all employ special constables for court security, and prisoner transfers. In Alberta they are known as “Peace Officers” where they are employed for transit, and court security, and by conservation authorities. In British Columbia they work in court security and for conservation authorities and as various levels of government inspectors. PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador do not currently employ special constables.

The Future Special constables will continue to be utilized by private and public agencies for years to come, working closely with local police and the public to ensure the safety of Canada. In 2017 the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services will be concluding the Strategy for a Safer Ontario. This is expected to outline the progressive format for how special con-

stables will continue to be a well-respected and needed profession.

Ontario Special Constable Association The Ontario Special Constable Association was created in 2008 to be a medium through which special constables can share information, impart knowledge and build on the honour of their profession.

The Ontario Special Constable Association’s vision is to build on progressive and innovative leadership and through that, strengthen our professional standing in our role in the law enforcement community.

OSCA strives through progressive and effective leadership; to encourage cooperation and unity within their membership.

David Moskowitz is the President of the Ontario Special Constable Association. He can be reached at: ontariospecialconstables@gmail.com.

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MARCH 2017 2016-12-13 8:55 AM

Running for

mental-health awareness

By Lisa Miller For Cst. Jeff Bartsch, the dusty, endless kilometers of Saskatchewan grid are his therapy, and his purpose. Jeff is a member of the Weyburn Police Service and a person who has found his cause.

About 10 years ago, Bartsch was a 21 year old working as a police officer in a small and isolated community. “I made about two years and my world caved in.” Long hours of working alone, with few supports or opportunities to leave the community to recharge, caused a landslide of anxiety and depression which eventually caused him to quit his career and nearly cost him his new marriage. He went to see a psychologist but his secret struggles had not gone undetected.

The next day his supervisor ordered him to attend a mandatory psych test.

It is unwritten but inherent; police culture has not until recently encouraged its members to talk about pain, fear and sadness, but Bartsch admits that he couldn’t even talk to his parents about what he was going through.

MARCH 2017

Real concerns about job security and the perception of other officers make mental health issues become worse, which Bartsch believes could be alleviated or eliminated if only people would start talking about it openly.

He tried medications to get his anxiety and depression under control with only moderate success, and he didn’t like how they made him feel. Then he started to run.

“Running leaves you with your thoughts. It teaches you belly-breathing, deep breathing, which reduces your heartrate … and calms the brain, allowing it to think more clearly.” After taking up running he began to feel better.

Bartsch worked as a long-haul truck driver after leaving policing, but he yearned to go back. With the support of his wife, Bartsch enrolled in the Atlantic Police Academy where he learned more about mental health for police officers. “Every day for six months we were taught about mental health. I left believing we should all be talking about this.

So when people ask why I left policing or why I would be crazy enough to try it again, I tell them my story.”

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And that story attracted the attention of some police officers in the U.S., some of whom had their own experiences with mental health. Jeff’s U.S. contacts provided him with the inspiration and partnerships that propelled him to compete in his third, and most meaningful marathon.

In May 2016 he ran the Saskatchewan Marathon in full uniform to bring further awareness to mental health. His partnerships

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with the U.S. officers and the social media accounts that documented his journey helped him achieve his goal. Jeff’s Twitter account exploded with messages from other police officers who commended his efforts and let him know that they too had been affected.

He speaks firmly about his desire to educate people about the difference between mental health and mental illness. A mental illness can look like many things, but “it can often be something that is treatable but not necessarily curable”, says Bartsch. He believes many people’s issues with depression and anxiety spiral out of control because of stigma. “When we get a toothache, we go to a dentist. No one is embarrassed of that.

But when we have mental pain, we ignore it because we are scared to talk.”

During his time at Atlantic Police Academy, he learned some secrets about maintaining mental health and believes every officer should be mandated to have a mental health checkup. He also believes that all people should perform mental health checkups on themselves, asking “How am I feeling? They should also be aware of coping strategies to help themselves.

Bartsch admits that the road back to mental wellness was a long one but credits his wife for where he is today. “It nearly cost me my marriage. But I chose her over the job and if she had left, I don’t think I’d be here.” Jeff was hired on with Weyburn Police

Weyburn Police Service Weyburn is the ninth-largest city in Saskatchewan with a population of 10,484 (2011). It is located in southern Saskatchewan, 110km southeast of Regina and only 70km north of the Canada-USA border and the state of North Dakota.

The Weyburn Police Department (now Service) traces its roots back to 1913 with Chief Constable Blaikie and his three constables. Prior to this, policing was done by the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. The department was dis-

Service in October 2015 and says he is glad to be back in his home province where he has a good working environment and supportive supervisors, which he didn’t have during his first stint in policing.

His goal of increasing awareness has not stopped at his marathon. He regularly attends a support group in uniform at the Weyburn Canadian Mental Health Association and introduces himself as Jeff. He is passionate about being an advocate and has remained true in his desire to help others.

Marlo Pritchard, Chief of Weyburn Police Service says this about Jeff: “When we

solved in 1944, apparently due to staffing issues because of WWII, but reformed in 1957 this time replacing the RCMP. They celebrate their 60th anniversary in 2017.

The Weyburn Police Service currently has a total staff of 20 sworn officers including the Chief, an Inspector and 10 civilians working as dispatchers and in other administrative roles. http://weyburnpolice.ca

interviewed Jeff, he was forthcoming about some of his past struggles. He also came across as honest, sincere and meticulously prepared. He is passionate about policing and has become a leader in this community.

His dedication to mental health awareness is phenomenal. As a society we need to stop talking about mental health and physical health. It’s health — period.”

Lisa Miller works at Kids on the Block Regina, an interactive puppet-based education program, focused on bullying and abuse prevention for kids ages 5-11 located in Regina, Sask.

She can be reached at kotbregina@gmail.com

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MARCH 2017

2017-02-16 9:17 AM

DEEP BLUE

by Dorothy Cotton

Data, data, data. At times I get the distinct impression that people are tired of hearing me rant on and on about the need for data. I was recently asked to comment on some training that a particular police service had provided.

“What do you think?” they asked. It looked really good. It ticked all the little boxes that this kind of training ought to tick. The officers said it was good. The trainers appeared to know their stuff. But when I asked if it actually worked, like out in the field, I got blank stares. There was no way of measuring that. It sounded good. It sounded like it would have the desired effect. However, I think we all know that just because something sounds good and we think it OUGHT to achieve a certain purpose, doesn’t mean it really does.

I ran across a research article the other day that made this point in spades. You may recall a column I wrote for the December 2014 issue of Blue Line Magazine that described a procedural justice intervention that was carried out in Australia. The gist of the project was that officers were given a script to use when conducting random breath tests on drivers. The script involved emphasizing a number of attributes related to procedural justice and the hypothesis was that emphasizing procedural justice would improve the public’s level of trust in police and their confidence in the police’s ability to do their job fairly. It worked. There was data to prove it.

Since this sounded like such a good idea, some people in Scotland decided to adopt the program. They made a few adjustments and ran a similar program and the results were…. bad. The intervention had the opposite effect to what they expected and wanted. During the time the study was in progress, some officers were required to do the usual thing — whatever that was; and others were given scripts emphasizing procedural justice concepts, as well as leaflets to give the drivers with more explanation of what they were doing. The scripts were a little different from the ones the Australians used. In the Australian study, the officers were to use the script pretty well verbatim. In the Scottish study, the script was more like suggestions and officers were to use their judgment about how and when to say what.

They measured the public’s attitudes before and after the study. The opinions of people who received the “business as usual” treatment from the police improved. The opinions of people who got the new improved (?) version focusing on procedural justice got worse.

What’s with that? My first thought was that maybe Australians are easier to please and Scots are just generally ornery (I have no data to support that belief) – but the authors of a paper recently published in the Journal of Experimental Criminology1 had a few other ideas.

MARCH 2017

Photo credit: ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock, Inc.

There was data to prove it

It is of course possible that the strategy simply does not work—and maybe the positive findings in Australia were a fluke. But there are other options.

In the Scottish program, as mentioned, the police also gave out a leaflet. It turns out that not everyone remembered getting the leaflet. It is not known whether people actually did not get the leaflet or if they just did not remember getting the leaflet—but in any case, people who did not remember getting a leaflet were more negative in their comments, and were less likely to feel that they had been given an opportunity to express their own point of view.

A second possibility is that the officers in the Scottish study really did not implement the program the way it was intended, and did not do what the Higher Ups thought and wanted them to do. It may be noteworthy that the Scottish folks objected to a script and thus were left with some discretion as compared to the Australian group. Perhaps the Scots choose their words badly. Not all officers actually received any instruction about the program; many were simply handed a sheet saying “Do this.” Perhaps by the time the information and direction had filtered down from the research team to senior management to the inspector to the sergeant to the constable, some stuff got lost along the way. In other words, maybe the program did not work because the officers did it wrong—or at least they did not do it as intended by the program designers.

The third possible explanation is that the failure of the program might have had something to do with the organizational context within which the program was carried out.

I think we all know what happens when the 14

Powers-That-Be think something is a good idea and the folks on the street either don’t agree or get their feathers ruffled about being told how to do their job. If the quotes in the article cited are any example, in the Scottish project, the officers who were supposed to deliver this program were less than amused by the whole thing. Some ignored it, many thought it was bad idea to start with, some were insulted and considered that they knew better. Overall, the reaction of the officers to the program was negative. The program was introduced during a time when there were many other organizational changes going on. It is well known that many of us do not exactly embrace change.

There was also a great deal of tension between the management and the frontline people at that time. The article examines these factors at some length. I will spare you the details but I will be surprised if any of this surprises you.

So is it the case that the program itself does not work? Well, yes and no. Here is where I return to the subject of data and its importance. If you simply lifted the program from Australia and implemented it, you’d be puttering along thinking you were revolutionizing the public’s attitudes toward and confidence in police—while in fact you were making things worse. It would be handy to know that, regardless of the reasons. But if you don’t ask, you don’t know.

1 Sara MacQueen and Ben Bradford (2016) Where did it all go wrong? Implementation failure—and more—in a field experiment of procedural justice policing. Journal of Experimental Criminology DOI 10.1007/s11292-016-9278-7

Dr. Dorothy Cotton is Blue Line’s psychology columnist. She can be contacted at: deepblue@blueline.ca.

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

HEALTH AND FITNESS

by Isabelle Sauve

Fitness, nutrition and health for law enforcement emergency services workers. More specifically, topics will aim to provide up-to-date and relevant information for emergency service workers, such as; emerging trends in nutrition, fitness, health, law enforcement fatigue, shift-work, sleep-patterns and strategies, and a focus on an active lifestyle.

Additional topics will include; wellness programs, fitness centres in police facilities and at home, trending fitness equipment, gear and tips, profiles of motivational persons, and on the job stretches and exercises to name just a few.

I look forward to helping everyone gain a better understanding of all these topics, so they can better navigate and survive their career in law enforcement.

Isabelle Sauve is a constable with the Ontario Provincial Police, currently with the Emergency Response Team (ERT) at the Almaguin Highlands Detachment in Burks Falls, about 300 km north of Toronto. She is a world-class marathon and ultra-marathon runner and fitness enthusiast. She can be contacted at: isabelle.sauve@hotmail.com.

Dangerous persons and situations are likely the most recognizable threat to law enforcement officers everywhere. However, the career itself may pose an even greater risk to one’s health and long-term wellness, with its shift-work and unpredictable hours and the mental, physical and emotional traumas that are encountered on a regular basis.

It is well known that proper nutrition and consistent physical exercise both play a vital role in maintaining good health and quality of life.

The human body requires quality fuel and care to function at its best — exercise and proper nutrition work synergistically to support that.

Regular physical activity promotes higher energy levels, decreased stress, and lowers the risk of mental, physical and emotional injury.

Eating the right diet, consisting of whole and unprocessed foods, helps you to maintain energy levels and mental focus while increasing metabolism. Conversely, the regular consumption of processed and fast foods will negatively affect your body and place you at greater risk of diseases, injury and weight-gain.

Shiftwork and emergency services go hand in hand Shiftwork poses serious challenges to developing and maintaining a sound and consistent exercise routine and healthy eating habits. It is commonly associated with biological and behavioural turbulences which have a direct impact on energy balance and engagement in an active lifestyle. Shiftwork also typically decreases consistent opportunities for leisure and fitness activities. Having an awareness of health and wellness topics and applying that awareness can assist shift workers in overcoming and adjusting to many of the challenges they face with diet and exercise and help them to remain active and healthy.

Despite the often irregular schedules associated with shift work, there are many ways to keep active and live a healthy lifestyle. With some additional planning for away-from-home meals and exercise sessions and a commitment to living a healthy lifestyle, good habits can be established to support mental and physical wellness. Feeling physically, psychologically and emotionally well, will in turn positively impact personal, social and work life and performance.

This new column will feature information and tips about health, nutrition, balanced diets, and exercise as they relate specifically to BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

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MARCH 2017 2017-02-21 8:56 AM

CRITICAL THINKING

The response to potentially deadly cyber-attacks must be preparation and co-operation

By Kenrick Bagnall It is human nature to sometimes take for granted the services we expect to be there when needed.We turn on the tap and clean water begins to flow. We flick a switch and a dark room is instantly illuminated. We complain about the cost of fuel and traffic congestion yet still our vehicles traverse the roadways of our cities and we give little to no thought to the complex grid of traffic signals, cameras and rail crossings that contribute to making our journey safe.

I’m going to suggest that there is no threat more serious to the existence of human kind as we know it today, than that of the threat to critical infrastructure. There was a time when it was simply, “infrastructure” — the building blocks that made up our supply chain, transportation and power grids, food and water supply, telecommunications, financial services, health care and more.

These systems are now interconnected, interdependent and in many cases vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

The Northeast power failure of 2003 effected the North East of the United States and most of the Province of Ontario. A software glitch caused a cascading effect, shutting down adjacent power grids leaving millions of people without power for eight to 48 hours.

In some remote areas, it took up to two weeks to restore power.

MARCH 2017

In 2010 a sophisticated cyber weapon that came to be known as Stuxnet was responsible for disabling the Iranian nuclear program at the Natanz enrichment facility.

The source code for Stuxnet has been widely shared and distributed across the Internet.

In 2014, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co Ltd, reported necessary cyber security upgrades were implemented after non-critical data was stolen from their computer systems.

In October of 2016 a massive DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack was executed against DYN, a DNS (Domain Name Services) service provider. This cyber-attack inundated the DYN servers with an unsustainable amount of requests, resulting in disrupted access to popular sites such as Paypal, Netflix, Spotify, Amazon and Twitter, to name just a few.

Cyber-attacks are wide-ranging and far reaching. Organizations and individuals are being forced to do more to protect their virtual assets. In the case of critical infrastructure, the consequences of a cyber-attack could be measured in financial losses and in a worstcase scenario, the loss of life.

So what approach should be taken to make our infrastructure more secure? The approach starts with the right attitude or mindset. One must adopt a “when,” not “if” approach to cyber security. This mindset will help to promote the hyper vigilance necessary to keep systems safe.

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Strategic partnerships and good communication is also key, engaging with law enforcement pre-cyber incident can make things run smoother. Organizations like the Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange are excellent resources for the sharing of information and cyber threat intelligence.

Due to the cross border nature of cybercrime and the shared risk between countries and governments, law enforcement and security agencies must strive to find better ways of sharing information and working together with a view to mitigating the very real threats to critical infrastructure.

In June 1996, Justice Archie Campbell said it best in his report when he spoke about the need for systems to improve investigations: “A case management system is needed that is based on co-operation, rather than rivalry, among law enforcement agencies.”

At a time during the infancy of the Internet, Justice Campbell had the vision to know what one of the keys to successful cybercrime investigations would be. It is our shared responsibility to see this vision through by working together.

This article previously appeared in the January/February edition of Canadian Security.

Kenrick Bagnall is a Detective Constable with the Toronto Police Service Computer Cybercrime Unit (C3) @KenrickBagnall.

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

Strong Woman in Blue

By Ron Fanfair Constable Shari Spivak is a powerful force on the Service.

Just over a year after taking part in her first powerlifting competition, Spivak is a world-record holder in three categories in the 84-kilogram category for participants between the ages of 50-60.

At last June’s International Powerlifting Federation World Class championships in Texas, the married mother of three did a 147.5 kilogram back squat and a 97.5 kilogram bench press while amassing 410 kilograms, all world records.

She finished fourth in the deadlift and was awarded a bronze medal – in addition to three gold medals – for being the third-best lifter in the Master 2 Women class.

Spivak said she thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the world championships.

“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” she said. “I got to meet people from all over the world, including three police officers from Edmonton, Ottawa and the United States who were in my weight and age category. It was so amazing to meet other law enforcement officers.”

The 32 Division officer was recently recognized with the Toronto Police Amateur Athletic Association (TPAAA) Athlete of the Year Award.

“To be nominated is quite an honour,” she said. “But to actually be the recipient of the award is very humbling.”

TPAAA president Chris Devereux said selecting Spivak as Athlete of the Year was based on her performance in competitions as well as her positive attitude.

“When the nomination came in, we were all awestruck by her accomplishments,” said Constable Devereux, who is also assigned to 32 Division. “She set world records and was always smiling while competing. She is simply amazing.”

The veteran officer said she was encouraged to take up powerlifting while training at CrossFit Markham.

“About two years ago, one of the coaches suggested I should start focusing on powerlifting because he figured I was a strong person,” she said.

Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts – squat, bench press and deadlift.

“I enjoyed the training, got hooked and found myself signing up for my first competitive meet in the summer of 2015,” Spivak recalled.

At the Durham Summer Classic, she was the top lifter in her weight and age category, with 370 kilograms, that earned her a spot at the provincial competition in November 2015.

Spivak again sizzled at that championship, setting national records in the bench press with 90 kilograms, the squat with 127.5 kilograms and the deadlift with 380 kilograms.

The record-setting performances paved the way for Spivak to attend the February 2016 nationals where she set a Canadian record with a total of 392.5 kilograms and was voted the best overall lifter.

She was among nearly 200 lifters who represented Canada at the world championships, last June in Texas.

“It’s really amazing how far I have come in such a short time,” she said. “I just can’t believe it.”

Spivak will spend the next few months training to compete in a lower weight category.

“Though I am about 170 pounds, I was competing at the top end of the 84-kilogram category which has a cut-off point of 185 lbs,” she said.

“Even though I was winning, I was really competing against women who were stronger that I am. I am training to get down to about 157 pounds and that would allow me to participate in the 72-kilogram category.

Spivak has spent her 27 years on the Service at the same Division.

“I absolutely love it here,” she said. “It was at 32 Division that I met my husband (Arshad Khawaja).”

She is the School Liaison Officer for almost 55 schools in her Division talking to kids from Kindergarten to Grade 8.

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

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Ron Fanfair is a communications specialist with the Toronto Police Service’s Corporate Communications Unit. (This article was previously published on www.tpsnews.ca October 19, 2016, and is used here with permission.)

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MARCH 2017 2016-12-23 3:14 AM PM 12/21/16 9:24

KEEPING

CANADA SAFE A snapshot of the lives of the people keeping Canada safe Our world is changing fast. We are becoming all too aware that our personal security, from disaster to crime and harassment and the safety of our children, is not to be taken for granted. Yet most of us know little about the processes and the many thousands of people that keep Canada safe.

Imagine what we might see if we took a snapshot of a day in the lives of the men and women who are Keeping Canada Safe. In

the fall of 2016, that’s exactly what we did.

Sixty camera crews descended into Canadian airspace, streets, parks, and homes to capture intimate and important stories in a bold, breathtaking, and dramatic account of what it takes to keep our country secure. Cameras spanned our largest cities and our smallest towns, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, and from the Prairies to the Far North.

The result is Keeping Canada Safe, a high-profile documentary series for CBC that tells the compelling personal stories of the Canadians protecting our country, and uncovers the groundbreaking technology that is constantly evolving to keep the nation secure. It captures the powerful and poignant moments as people seek assistance, work to guard their friends, shelter their neighbours, and protect our way of life.

Stories and locations range from fighting fire emergencies on either coast, to a team of officers preparing for and executing a warrant for an arrest in Kingston; committed citizens working to end gun violence in Halifax to an inside look at the air traffic control tower on Canada’s busiest tarmac; and a First Nations youth’s mission to keep his community’s water clean.

Keeping Canada Safe, premieres on the main CBC network on Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 9 pm EST/9:30 pm NT.

MARCH 2017

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BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

BACK IN THE DAY

A tale of man and “machine” I recall my number ONE Breathalyzer test. This is “the biggy” that every breath tech worries about because you can imagine what the defence lawyer could do when they found out that this is — THE FIRST. I was working a quiet afternoon shift at the traffic front desk when Harry gave me a wink and a nod as he began his shift. Harry, we will call him McCleneghan to protect the innocent, called out to me, “Don’t worry Morley — we will get you your first drunk in no time.”

I knew Harry’s reputation and he was a wonder to behold. He was known as the unit’s best drunk catcher and a record holder with a daisy chain of four prisoners, all cuffed together and stinkin’ drunk. As for how he managed such a record, don’t ask. Harry ain’t tellin’.

But I digress — again. Now Harry started his shift at 4 pm and by 4:20 pm he was parading an impaired (nay - drunk) driver before the sergeant at the desk. My surprise was more with the sergeant, who seemed not at all surprised.

“Okay Morley, you better get that machine primed,” came the order. I dutifully corrected the sergeant that it was an “instrument and not a machine.”

Off I went to the Breathalyzer office and everything I was taught kicked into high gear.

I purged the instrument, timed everything and made careful notes. I qualified the ampoule containing the “clear yellow liquid” (consisting of 0.25% potassium dichromate, .025% silver nitrate and 50% by volume sulphuric acid) with the alcohol standard test, containing 3.38 milligrams of alcohol in each millilitre of solution.

I purged the instrument to clear it of all residual alcohol and balanced the light meter.

After making clear notes of all this I welcomed my “guest” — number ONE — into the office. Harry advised me of the circumstances of the arrest and his reasons for believing the subject to be impaired. I furiously wrote down my notes. Visions of a gruelling cross examination from a defence lawyer loomed large in my head. This one had to be letter perfect because it was — number ONE. I noted the condition of the subject carefully.

Eyes - red and watery; pupils - dilated; smell alcoholic beverage ... ahhh... in there somewhere ... I was sure there was alcohol... and grease ... dirt ... and ... and ... oh yes! ... vomit ... and ...

Oh No! ... faecal-matter. “Harry - where did you find this guy?”

“Just driving down Yonge Street,” Harry said cheerily.

“Okay Harry. Thanks... I guess,” I responded gloomily.

The smell was overpowering. Thoughts of what a maggot might smell in the disposal bin of a slaughter house on a hot day came to mind.

The man was slouched in the plain steel chair. The subject lobbed his head toward me in recognition of the voice he could hear in the

fog. I asked him if he could understand me. He responded with something that could have been affirmative so I demanded he blow into the plastic tube I held to his lips. He placed the tube to his mouth as I delicately withdrew my hand in time to avoid a drop of liquid bile coming from his mouth. He promptly pulled the instrument off the desk and threw it against the wall turning it instantly to rubble.

The fight was on as I tackled him in the midriff and pinned him against the wall. The interview room door opened wide and the cavalry arrived just in time to see the primal hunk of sludge throw up all over my shoulder and back.

As the troops carried away my chuckling subject, I could hear him yelling “have a nice night copper.”

I looked around the office in dismay. It was time to take notes as to what had just happened here. “My first test is a refusal,” I said to myself.

“What a way to start.”

I looked at the wreckage that was once my shiny Borkenstein Breathalyzer model 900A. I looked at my notes, dutifully inscribed with the number ONE, and covered in puke. Do I clean my office, myself or the notes first. I decided on the notes and then went to change my shirt.

After cleaning the office, the final indignity

by Morley Lymburner

came from the sergeant in charge of the station.

“Sign here Lymburner.” He was showing me a departmental documentation for permitting a drunk to handle my “machine.” I dutifully pointed out that it was an instrument and not a “machine.” His steely eyes narrowed at me as he dutifully added to the bottom of the documentation that I was also insolent with the sergeant.

The epilogue to all this is both bitter and sweet. I was called into the inspector and he docked me eight hours pay for not securing the “machine.” I thought about dutifully correcting the errant descriptor of the instrument and then remembered that closed mouths are never a temptation for a confession. I took my lumps and ever after kept a firm hand on “the machine.”

And what of my subject. Two weeks later I was notified by newspaper headlines that good old “number ONE” was found shot dead outside his apartment. Apparently, the victim of a drug deal gone bad.

Is there justice so fair that mere mortals cannot bear?

(This editorial originally appeared in the March 2010 edition of Blue Line Magazine.)

Morley Lymburner is the Publisher Emeritus of Blue Line Magazine. He can be reached at morley@blueline.ca.

JUSTICE STUDIES FOR wORkINg FRONTLINE OFFICERS At Humber, we teach the professional and practical skills you need to move up and make a difference in your community and in your career. Further your education one course at a time or work towards your diploma or degree.

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• Advanced standing opportunities for justice professionals • Guelph-Humber Justice Studies Degree OFFE PAR RED • Criminal Justice Degree T & ON -TIME • Police Foundations Diploma LINE • Police Foundations Leadership Program • Forensic Identification Services Certificate

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

communityservices.humber.ca /justiceprofessionals 19

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MARCH 2017 2017-02-16 2:19 PM

SHOT SHOW 2017 HIGHLIGHTS Blue Line recently attended the Shot Show at the Sands Expo Center, -— Las Vegas, Nev. on January 17-20, 2017. Here are some of the product highlights we saw.

Colt Combat Commander®

The new for 2017 Colt Combat Commander® affords enthusiasts the ability to concealed-carry a real 1911 platform pistol comfortably. With a shorter profile than a traditional full size Government Model®, the Combat Commander® offers the Dual Spring Recoil System™ and custom Colt G10 grips, among other enhancements. The pistol also features an undercut trigger guard and upswept beavertail, allowing shooters a higher grip for enhanced comfort and accuracy.

Custom black cherry Colt G10 stocks complete the package. The Colt Combat Commander® is available in .45 ACP and 9mm. www.colt.com

First Tactical Men’s 8” Waterproof side-zipper duty boot

The Waterproof Side Zip Duty Boot is the tactical boot you can trust to perform perfectly and keep you dry.

Constructed to protect and support your foot, and built tough enough to withstand even the highest demands of your job. With lined leather, premium YKK® side zipper, and 8” shaft for optimal support, you will have a boot that serves as hard as you do. www.firsttactical.com/#

Armor Express AMP-1 E Ballistic Helmet

The AMP-1 E specialized aramid shell is tested and certified to NIJ IIIA (9mm and 44 Magnum) and is also tested to protect against fragmentation according to STANAG 2920 with a V50 rating of 2,132 MARCH 2017

Honeywell SC420 CBRN Power Air Purifying Respirator (NIOSH)

fps. Our standard features include an advanced padding system, wheel-dial system, and unique rail system with speed-system connector points (SSCP) giving the user more tactical and modular protections capability. These components ensure that comfort, practicality, and capability are provided, giving the user an added degree of confidence. Our modular protective visors (Impact, Fragmentation, 9mm/44Mag) can be added/removed from the helmet in seconds without ever having to take off the helmet – always being protected. www.armorexpress.com/amp-1-e

Safariland Camera AutoActivation System

The SC420 CBRN PAPR is a durable, lightweight and efficient system that is easy to use in high stress environments. Features: Survivair Opti-Fit™ CBRN Facepiece which is optically true with greater peripheral vision and unobstructed view, chemical and nuclear resistant butyl rubber skirt, blower unit and EPDM hose which are resistant to chemical, biological, and warfare agents, 3 separate power supply options (D-Cell alkaline, NiMH, Lithium-Ion), all hot-swappable with 8-10 hour operation duration. www.honeywellsafety.com

M&P by Smith & Wesson – Anarchy Bug Out Bag

Safariland introduces the world’s first Body Worn Camera Auto-activation System featuring the VIEVU® LE4 Body Worn Camera and a Safariland 7TS™ Level II or Level III Retention™ Duty Holster. The system works by enabling a 7TS™ Duty Holster to automatically and securely activate a VIEVU® LE4 Body Worn Camera when an officer removes their firearm from its holstered position.

The VIEVU® LE4 Body Worn Camera, when in standby mode, is constantly buffering 30-second periods of footage. Once the activation system is initiated, the camera retains the previous 30 seconds of footage and will continue to record until the officer turns the camera off, capturing those critical seconds before the firearm was drawn. www.safariland.com 20

The compact Anarchy Bug Out Bag is a mediumsized bag for carrying just the essentials. It features a padded and contoured hip side with mesh fabric for breathability, and a wide shoulder strap with padded cushion. It’s highly customizable with numerous M.O.L.L.E straps on the bottom, side and inside. There are 3 external side pockets with full hook and loop flaps and elastic retention, 2 external end zippered pouches, and one large zippered main compartment. External dimensions: approximately 16” x 7.5” x 8.5”. www.smith-wesson.com BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

despite the economy of Cartagena relying to a large part on domestic and foreign tourists.

We had some great cab rides with cabbies that spoke virtually no English, (and us virtually no Spanish), and we all had a good laugh or two on several cab rides.

Blue Line Magazine

travels to

College of Continuing Education

Cartagena, Colombia

While vacationing in hot and sunny Cartagena, Colombia is late-January, Blue Line editor Tom Rataj visited with the Cartagena municipal command of the National Police of Colombia located inside the old walled city – a UNESCO World Heritage site. A copy of the January Blue Line was exchanged for a copy of their Revista Policía Nacional de Colombia (Magazine of the National Police of Colombia).

As seen in the photos above, uniform officers wear a lime-green safety vest over their uniform shirt while they are out on patrol. Pairs of officer typically patrol by foot and when mobile, together on one motorcycle. While on motorcycle patrol, they wear lime-green helmets and the motorcycles have their emergency lights activated even when not on a call.

Cartagena felt relatively safe for foreign tourists and the locals were all quite friendly and happy to deal with tourists, although very few locals appeared to speak much English,

The National Police of Colombia dates back to 1891 and employs around 143,000 personnel. All policing in Colombia is done by the National Police, including 17 metropolitan commands that are responsible for major cities, such as Cartagena.

Certificate in Police Leadership

Only three courses required for your first certificate in this online program: • Advanced Police Leadership • Budgeting and Financial Management for Police Services • Communication Skills for Police Personnel • Ethics for Police Leaders • Legal Issues in Policing • Managing Police Performance: Coaching Skills for Police Supervisors (workshop) • Police Leadership and Management Development • Policing and the Law of Human Rights • Policing the Modern Community • Strategic Human Resource Management for Police Organizations • Strategic Policing

The Managing Police Performance: Coaching Skills for Police Supervisors “... program was very well done. Articulate and engaging presenter who delivered relevant information that can be directly applied to my job.”

Cst. Ryan Shaw, Durham Regional Police Service, ON COACHING WORKSHOPS Toronto: March 24-26, 2017 Halifax: June 9-11, 2017 ONLINE COURSES Fall Term begins Sept. 5, 2017

Prepare for career advancement today!

If you would like more information or wish to have a brochure mailed to you please contact the Program Manager, Sherry Carmont, at (902) 494-6930 or toll-free at 1-800-565-8867. You may also write to Sherry via e-mail at CPL@Dal.Ca or to the address at right. Detailed information and registration forms can also be found on our website at www.dal.ca/cce.

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

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Dalhousie University College of Continuing Education 1459 LeMarchant Street, Suite 2201 PO Box 15000 Halifax NS B3H 4R2

MARCH 2017 2017-02-16 8:52 AM

CASE LAW

by Mike Novakowski

Justice’s assistance to investigator in preparing ITO did not cross the line The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld an appellate court’s ruling that a justice’s request to a police officer preparing an Information to Obtain (ITO) for further information about the impracticability of appearing in person did not cause the justice to lose his independence or impartiality in authorizing the search warrant. In R. v. Clark, 2017 SCC 3 a police officer completed an ITO at 2:00 am for a telewarrant application to investigate theft of electricity at a residence.

The officer was seeking a warrant to search “by day.”

In the application the officer stated he was using the telewarrant procedure as it was impracticable for him to appear personally before a justice because he was working a nightshift in the early morning hours and the courthouse was presently closed. After leaving a message through the Justice Centre phone line, the officer received a call from a Judicial Justice of the Peace (JJP) at 2:10 am asking him why the application could not be made in person during the day at the courthouse. He provided several points and the JJP suggested those reasons be set out in the ITO. The officer revised his ITO and he faxed the completed application to the JJP at 2:35 am. At 3:07 am the officer received a signed telewarrant authorizing him (and other officers) to enter the residence between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm to search for evidence of electricity theft. When the police executed the warrant, they not only found an electrical by-pass but also a large marihuana growoperation. The police seized 707 marihuana plants, grow-operation equipment, evidence of a bypass, $500 cash and two gold rings believed to be offence-related property. Clark was found inside the home at the time the warrant was executed. He was charged with producing marihuana, possessing marihuana for the purpose of trafficking, and theft of electricity.

Clark suggested at his trial in BC Supreme Court that the warrant was invalid, in part, because the JJP had acted inappropriately by providing advice to the officer in the preparation of the ITO. The judge agreed, finding the JJP was not acting judicially when he guided the officer in the telewarrant application and that he was predisposed to grant the application he had MARCH 2017

not yet seen. The judge excised the paragraph from the ITO that addressed the impracticability of an in-person application. Without this, the impracticability requirement of the telewarrant provision had not been satisfied. The warrant was quashed and the search of the residence amounted to a warrantless one. Clark’s s. 8 rights had been breached and the evidence of the drugs and other items was excluded under s. 24(2).

Clark was acquitted of all charges.

The Crown appealed the court’s ruling to the BC Court of Appeal suggesting, in part, that the trial judge erred in finding that the JJP gave improper assistance to the officer submitting the telewarrant.

Judicial Independence & Impartiality Justice Frankel, speaking for the unanimous Court of Appeal, found the trial judge’s inference that the JJP was predisposed to grant the warrant even before he saw it was neither reasonable nor logical. In some cases, “it is permissible for a judicial justice to provide some advice and/or direction to an officer applying for a warrant,” said Frankel. “The inquiry [the JJP] made of [the officer]—in effect, ‘why can’t this wait until normal office hours’—is something any judicial justice or judge likely would ask at that time of day. ... He did no more than advise [the officer] fully set out his reasons for using the telewarrant procedure.”

Impracticability Clark suggested that the impracticability requirement of appearing in person was not satisfied even if the paragraph explaining why the officer did not appear was considered. In his opinion, there was no urgency for obtaining a warrant in the early morning hours and there was no explanation from the officer why he could not wait until the courthouse opened 22

later that day. But Frankel rejected this submission. The ITO need only support a basis why an in-person application was not practicable.

It was not necessary to also show that urgency was a factor such that there was an immediate need for a warrant: The telewarrant procedure was designed to make it possible for law enforcement officers to apply for a search warrant 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether the application is made in-person or by fax the reasonablegrounds standard must be met before a warrant can be issued. The impracticabilityrequirement is concerned with whether it is practicable to make an in-person application at the time the application is brought; it does not require that an immediate need for a warrant be demonstrated. [para. 66] In this case, the paragraph addressing impracticability could have satisfied a JJP that the ITO disclosed “reasonable grounds for dispensing with an information presented personally and in writing” as would the statement printed on the form that said the local courthouse was presently closed. BC’s top court concluded the telewarrant was properly issued. The Crown’s appeal was allowed, Clark’s acquittals were set aside and a new trial was ordered.

Clark then challenged the BC Court of Appeal’s ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada suggesting, among other things, that the JJP lost his independence and impartiality by providing guidance to the investigating officer, and that it wasn’t impracticable for the officer to appear in person. However, a unanimous Supreme Court sitting all nine justices, in a very short judgment, dismissed Clark’s appeal substantially for the reasons provided by the BC Court of Appeal. Thus, the BC Court of Appeal decision reversing the trial judge and ordering a new trial stood. Editor’s note: Facts taken from R. v. Clark, 2015 BCCA 488.

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

CASE LAW

by Mike Novakowski

The high cost of breaching informer privilege The Ontario Court of Appeal has upheld more than $400,000 in damages awarded to a woman because the police failed to protect her confidentiality after she provided information to them. In Nissen v. Durham Regional Police Services Board, 2017 ONCA 10, the plaintiff, Ms. Stack, lived with her husband Mr. Nissen and their two children. She learned from a neighbour that the teenage son of another neighbour had broken into a home, stolen guns, and (with his brother) took the guns to school and threatened students. Ms. Stack said she decided to tell the police but she did not want her name associated with any investigation. She claimed she subsequently spoke to a police officer over the phone and insisted she not be identified and that she was afraid of the teenage neighbour and his brother. She asserted the officer promised her that her identity would not be disclosed and, if she came to the police station to discuss the matter, her identity would be kept secret and that she would remain totally anonymous.

At the police station, unbeknownst to Ms. Stack, her police interview was recorded on videotape. Within a few days of her interview, the boys were arrested, and her identity and her videotaped interview were included in the Crown’s disclosure package. This disclosure provoked an angry reaction from the boys’ parents. Their father drove his truck at Ms. Stack causing her to leap from the sidewalk and then further threatening and harassing conduct occurred against Ms. Stack and her family. This on-going harassment became unbearable and ultimately, Ms. Stack and her family decided to sell their home and move to another community. Ms. Stack and Mr. Nissen sued the police and several named officers for breaching informer privilege.

At trial in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the judge concluded that the police officer had promised Ms. Stack anonymity and confidentiality despite the denials by police that such confidentiality was promised or that she enjoyed the status of confidential informer. “On a balance of probabilities, I hold that [the officer] promised Ms. Stack that her identity would be preserved, and not disclosed, if she came to the police station and provided information about suspected criminal activity,” said the judge. “He did not qualify that promise in any way. Thus, both expressly and by implication Ms. Stack became entitled to informer privilege, that is, she was entitled to have her anonymity preserved with respect to her involvement in conveying information to the police.” The judge found the police owed a common law duty not to BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

disclose the identity of an informer and they had not taken reasonable care in this case.

The judge then went on to award Ms. Stack $345,000 in general damages for emotional and psychological injury. Ms. Stack had complained of feeling hopeless and depressed following these events, and she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Her family, friends and a psychiatrist had testified about the significant change in her behaviour and enjoyment of her life. The judge also awarded $65,000 in Family Law Act damages for loss of guidance, care and companionship to Mr. Nissen, and $25,000 to each child.

The police (defendants) appealed to Ontario’s highest court contending, in part, that the trial judge erred in finding that Ms. Stack was promised confidentiality and in finding that she had established the necessary elements for such a claim.

Promise of Confidentiality The police argued that the officer would not have asked Ms. Stack to come to the police station for an interview if she was being treated as a confidential informer. This submission, however, was rejected. The trial judge’s finding that the officer promised Ms. Stack confidentiality and anonymity was based on a thorough review of the evidence and was supported, among other evidence, by the conversation between the officer and Ms. Stack at the conclusion of the videotaped statement. Even though the officer never used the term “confidential informer”, when 23

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2017-02-21 9:35 AM

CASE LAW

by Mike Novakowski

Ms. Stack asked the officer not to let anyone know about their conversation he said, “[T] his is between you and I. Of course, I have to keep records of this for ourselves...That stuff does not get disclosed. It is not made available to the public. You don’t have to worry about that.”

Elements of Damage Claim The police opined that not only did the plaintiff need to prove a promise of confidentiality in exchange for information, but that they also needed to establish that the information provided was difficult or impossible to obtain, and the informer was likely to suffer harm or danger if their identity were disclosed. However, Justice Sharpe, speaking for the Court of Appeal, determined that the required elements for a claim of damages against the police for breach of a promise of confidentiality made to a citizen reporting criminal wrongdoing was the same as the civil law action for breach of confidence.

He refused to add the additional elements as suggested by the police to the requirements

for establishing a civil claim for damages.

In this case, the officer made a promise of confidentiality and anonymity to Ms. Stack in exchange for the information she provided, that promise was breached and Ms. Stack suffered damages as a result. Sharpe wrote: While other considerations may come into play in a criminal case where the prosecution is resisting disclosure of the identity of a confidential informer to an accused, this is a civil case between the police and an individual who was promised confidentiality.

That promise gave rise to a common law and equitable right entitling Ms. Stack to have her identity kept confidential. Her right was not contingent upon other ways the Police may have had to get the information she provided, or on what the Police thought about the danger she faced. [para. 33] In terms of police offering a promise of confidentiality, the Court of Appeal stated: It is, of course, for the police to decide whether or not to make a promise of confidentiality. In making that decision, they will no doubt make an assessment of the value of

the information the witness may have to offer, whether they can get the information through other means, and the danger the witness may face if his or her identity is revealed. If the police tell the witness that they will not reveal his or her identity or involvement in order to get information, they should keep their promise, or face the ordinary consequences of violating the assurance they have given.

If the police decide that the witness does not deserve or warrant the requested assurance of confidentiality and anonymity, they should clearly say so and refuse to give the witness the requested assurance. That would allow the witness to decide whether to nonetheless give the information and accept the risk of disclosure. Simply put, a citizen in Ms. Stack’s situation should be able to rely upon what the police tell her. [para. 35] The defendants’ appeal was dismissed and the award of damages was upheld.

Mike Novakowski is Blue Line’s case law columnist.

He can be contacted at: caselaw@blueline.ca.

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BLUE LINE MAGAZINE 2017-02-22 9:45 AM

TECHNOLOGY

Improving the sound of interviews with acoustic treatment

By Peter Janis The use of hand-held recorders, desktop microphones, ceiling mounted microphones, video cameras and even multiple microphone setups is common in today’s interview settings. The type of recording equipment can vary depending on budget and of course the room itself.

Smaller rooms tend to employ a basic recording system while larger rooms tend to be equipped with more complex systems.

No matter what setup is in use, the resulting recordings can often range from being difficult to understand to utterly inaudible. What few realise is that in most cases, the problem is not the fault of the recording equipment or the practitioner — but the room itself.

Our brain and auditory system is very sophisticated in that it is able to discern what is important while leaving out what is not. This same attribute enables us to communicate in a loud restaurant, somehow ignoring the noise from tables that surround us. When we are conducting an interview, the combination of hearing and seeing what is being said all works together to deliver the complete message to our brain.

Microphones A microphone is very different because it has no way of discerning what is important and what is not. If there is noise in the room from the ventilation system, traffic outside, conversations in the office or hallway next door, the ‘bad stuff’ gets recorded right along with the good stuff and there is no simple way to break them apart. The microphone flattens out the information and our ears are no longer able to perform their magic.

Room ambiance Even more problematic is the room ambiance. Clap your hands in an empty garage and you will hear a bunch of trailing echoes as sound ricochets off the hard surfaces. This dense flutter echo is known as reverberation or room ambiance. When the sound from the voice is mixed with room echo, two things happen: the direct voice will be mixed in with the surrounding echoes making it difficult to separate, and it will sound distant or muffled due to an effect called comb-filtering.

When recording in this environment, the sound coming directly from the voice to the microphone will arrive before the sound being reflected off the walls, floor or ceiling.

When the direct and reflected sounds collide, certain frequencies will combine while others will cancel each other out, which disturbs the natural sound of the voice and reshapes BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

the frequencies that are being captured by the microphone.

Solutions The simple solution is to mount absorptive acoustic panels in the room. Broadcasters have known about acoustic problems for years and have been treating recording and broadcast studios with acoustic panels for a long time. Whether you are conducting an interview for TV or for a court case, the physical nature of sound is the same. Treating a room is easy to do, it is affordable and is a very effective fix. As a rule of thumb, covering between 15% and 25% of the wall surface with acoustic panels will do the trick and placement is not critical.

Acoustic panels come in a variety of sizes, shapes and formulations. The most effective are made from glass wool such as the Primacoustic brand Broadway panels.

These employ 6lb per cubic foot high density glass wool for even absorption across the voice range. Each panel is covered with micromesh and edges are resin hardened to eliminate dusting, and finished with a rugged polyester tweed that protects them and keeps them looking good for years. These are typically mounted to the walls using Impalers and are as easy to put up as a picture.

Adding construction adhesive to the back of the panels can be done in order to ensure they are not easily dislodged. For rooms that 25

may encounter ‘difficult participants’ other mounting solutions are available, including a metal cage that enables the panels to be securely affixed to the wall. Acoustic panels can also be ceiling mounted in a number of ways if necessary.

Controlling outside noise from interfering with recordings can be addressed using various schemes. Noise from HVAC systems can often be lowered by increasing the size of the vent and the last 3 feet of duct, which lowers the velocity of the air movement and reduces turbulence.

A more common problem is noise that is traveling from one room to the other through the plenum (HVAC duct) above the T-Bar ceiling. This can be controlled by adding mass to the T-Bar ceiling. Specially constructed Thundertiles, which feature a sandwich of heavy gypsum board and highdensity glass wool provide mass and density to stop and absorb sound. These come in standard sizes for easy retrofitting and once in place, reduce sound from entering and exiting the space. These can also be added to improve privacy in management offices.

Peter Janis is the President and CEO of Primacoustic – a division of Radial Engineering Ltd. He has been in the acoustic business for 25 years and has worked with numerous clients including the RCMP, to improve room acoustics. He can be reached at: peterj@radialeng.com.

MARCH 2017

HOLDING THE LINE

by Michelle Vincent

Mental-health requalification Do you remember the first time you picked up your firearm? If your experience was anything like mine, it was terrifying. I had never held or discharged a firearm.

As I found myself in the range for the first time, within the stall, ready to fire my first round ever, my glasses fogged up and perspiration was coming from my body so profusely I could barely see the silhouette.

I was shaking so badly, trying to remember the directions given to us by our trainers; not to anticipate the first shot and to use a slow, steady trigger-pull. It was quite an experience for someone who now loves to fire-off rounds and do target shooting, unless of course it’s for the annual “requal.”

Training, as cadets, over and over again, working through level one and two stoppages, and emergency and tactical reloads until your fingers blistered from reloading mags, is what brought me to the level of confidence and comfort with my pistol that I now have. We train our cadets in firearms use and safety, which is one of many essential skills that must be mastered in order to successfully graduate from the police college. We also train annually to ensure these skills are still up to speed.

It is so important for us to be mentally and physically trained to be able to survive a dangerous situation. But how important is it to also be able to return to our families in mentally healthy states of mind, or at the very least, return to them with the knowledge and resources to return ourselves to a state of healthy-mindedness?

As with our annual use-of-force requalification, should there not also be an annual healthy-mindedness training and requalification session to help us deal with and cope with challenging incidents both in the past and in the future?

I recently came across an amazing Ted Talk, presented by Dr. Hector Garcia entitled, We Train Soldiers For War. Let’s Train Them To Come Home, Too. He talks about using the same principles used to train soldiers for war, to also train them to return to civilian life especially if they are suffering from PTSD. It is very easy to transfer the concepts from the military setting to our world of policing.

Training with mindfulness is one of the approaches that is trusted and true. Psychological support is another essential piece that has been shown to be very effective in returning police officers to active duty after a serious event. Treatments including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), shaping how we perceive our world, as well as Exposure Therapy (ET), exposure to a feared object or MARCH 2017

context, but in a safe environment, have been shown to be highly effective in rejuvenating mental health.

Exposure therapy is very interesting in that it uses similar training to the way we are taught in our recruit training. Remembering how we trained for our firearms qualification, step by step from disassembly/reassembly, to stance and grip, to finally discharging our firearm, is similar to our experience/perception of an incident that was particularly difficult.

Identifying and discussing with a mental health professional, our perception of our experiences of a significant event, helps us reintegrate through gradual exposure to the stresses. This is very similar to some of the training we have had since the beginning of our policing careers.

I wonder if we considered mental health training as similar to the training of various other skills required for us to be effective in our policing careers. Should police organizations incorporate this into their annual training regimen? It might take the shape of mindfulness skills-practice similar to firearms and other defensive tactics skills. It might 26

include innovative Ted Talks such as the one I mention above, that demonstrate the successful treatment of individuals who have experienced the debilitating effects of PTSD. We might then provide hope for those who are coping with PTSD at any level and by making it mandatory annual training, sharpen our understanding and awareness of the very real challenges that confronts so many of us in policing. It might help lessen the stigma that still continues to hamper progress towards better mental health care for everyone in our field.

We train for the active shooter scenarios, now let’s train to cope with and manage the potential consequences on our mental health.

To watch the Ted Talk referenced above, visit: www.ted.com and search for the title of the episode.

Michelle Vincent is a 15 year York Regional Police officer with a Masters Degree in Arts in Counselling Psychology and a background in equine assisted therapy and workplace reintegration and teaching. Her counselling practice is supervised by a psychologist with a specialty in addictions and trauma. Contact: michelle@blueline.ca.

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

BOOK NEWS

DISPATCHES Andrew Fletcher has been appointed Chief of Police designate for the South Simcoe Police Service.

Fletcher was the Deputy Chief of the service since June 2015, and a Deputy Chief with the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) before that. He will assume the role of Chief on April 18, 2017. Fletcher began his policing career in 1984 with the HRPS where he worked in a wide variety of uniform, investigative and management roles. Fletcher is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, has been awarded the O.O.M, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the PESM with 30-year bar.

••• Joe Matthews, Deputy Chief of the Niagara Regional Police Service retired at the end of January, after a 35 year career with the service.

Matthews began his policing career as an auxiliary officer in 1978 and was sworn-in as a constable in 1981. Matthews spent the majority of his career as a detective and was most recently the deputy in charge of Support Services. Matthews is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

His is the recipient of the PESM with 30-year bar, and was awarded the O.O.M in 2015.

••• Brent Mundle has been announced as the new detachment commander of the Kelowna RCMP. Mundle is a 23-year veteran of the RCMP who spent much of his career working in Alberta, before returning to his home province in 2016 to serve as the operations officer at the Kelowna detachment. Mundle has been the acting detachment commander since September after the sudden retirement of his predecessor.

Mundle was selected because of his wealth of operational knowledge and record of community engagement.

••• Robert G. Martin has been hired as the new Chief of Police for West Grey Police Service. Martin assumes the post after an almost 30-year long career with the York Regional Police. Martin has a passion for community policing and has expertise in collision investigations and reconstruction, as training facilitator in the RCMPs Drug Evaluation and Classification program, and supervisory roles in Professional Development and patrol operations. He has completed a Police Leadership and Management Development program and holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership Studies.

BLUE LINE MAGAZINE

Reviewed by Tom Rataj

Never Stop on a Hill Reading retired OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis’s new book on leadership brought back a lot of memories about the good, bad and indifferent leaders I served under during my career.

Lewis takes the reader on a thorough and wide ranging examination of leadership from its various facets. He examines and discusses what he considers critical characteristics of good leaders; trust, ethics, integrity, setting the example, communication, connecting with and developing relationships, decision making, support and caring, the difference between managers and leaders, and being accountable. He also touches briefly on promotional processes, working with police labour unions, dealing with the media, and not forgetting about police retirees.

This book will make you laugh, cry, nod and shake your head, as Lewis takes you step by step through many of his own leadership experiences and observations, both good and bad.

With the occasional blunt language that takes you right to the point, it’s a good read for anyone in a leadership position or aspiring to get there.

Written in consultation with 23 active or retired police chiefs, Never Stop on a Hill, is a thorough collection of wise insights and experiences on the successes and failures of leadership in policing.

Never Stop on a Hill would make for a good mandatory read for all aspiring leaders, new promotions and seasoned personnel of all ranks.

All the proceeds support the Ontario Special Olympics.

Paperback: 358 pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (Nov. 28 2016) Language: English ISBN-10: 1535154462 ISBN-13: 978-1535154468 Available at: www.amazon.ca

Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families This book should be on the “must-read” list for all police officers and their partners and other adult family members. For officers it will help them understand why they often feel the way they do, and for partners and family members it will help them understand why the officer in their lives behaves the way he or she does. Police managers and administrators would also be well advised to read this book to better understand and deal with the emotional dangers their personnel face during their careers.

Because Dr. Gilmartin was a police officer for 20 years, he really understands the business and has lived through all the emotional ups and downs that most officers encounter during their careers.

In this easy-reading book, Gilmartin takes the reader on the law enforcement career journey from idealistic and eager rookie to what often becomes a burned-out cynical veteran and all the personal, family and career carnage that often results because of this transformation.

Much of the problem is that many officers are in an almost permanent state of hypervigilance which they have trouble turning-off when they are not at work. The emotional and physical toll this takes often results in burn-out, failed relationships and marriages and poor or even self-destructive work behaviour.

Gilmartin does an excellent job of explaining what’s really going on and provides techniques and strategies to identify the problems, prevent them from occurring in the first place, and learning how to cope with them if and when they do occur.

27

142 Pages Publisher: E-S Press ISBN-10: 0971725403 ISBN-13: 978-0971725409 Available at: www.amazon.ca

MARCH 2017

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InSight Explorer Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure has launched Intergraph® InSight Explorer, a self-serve, web-based crime mapping and analysis application for law enforcement agencies. Intergraph InSight Explorer empowers agencies to discover, analyze and visualize complete crime, incident and operational data through clearer presentation of complex information, uncovering trends and patterns that assist investigations and improve resource allocations. http://www.hexagonsafetyinfrastructure.com/ products/public-safety-analytics/intergraphinsight

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BACK OF THE BOOK Advertisers Directory

Agility is the key With a New Year upon us, it’s time to reflect on new changes and new beginnings for police services across Canada.

We all have a lot to be proud of and a lot to look forward to as we leave 2016 behind and look ahead to 2017. This includes a shared effort between police services across Canada when it comes to such things as combating drugs, tackling cybercrime and reducing the effects of the pending marijuana legalization in our country.

The key to success in all of these areas is agility. Policing today needs to be adaptive, flexible and priority focused. We, as police leaders, need to be able to change and respond to issues quickly as they arise. It is essential that we build organizations where our members support the efforts to address the changing needs of our community.

There may be no better example of this than the fentanyl crisis that is sweeping across our country at an incredibly frightening rate.

From January to October, 2016, a total of 2,988 samples from services across Canada were sent away for testing and found to contain fentanyl and/or its analogues. That number is up from 193 samples in 2012. In Waterloo Region, from January to October, 2016, we had 84 samples test positive for fentanyl and/or its analogues, up from two samples in 2012.

This drug is a game-changer in the Canadian drug culture and requires a commitment from police and community services across the country to work together to halt it head on. We need to realize we will never be able to arrest our way out of this drug crisis and instead need to work to embrace a harm-reduction approach that encourages needle exchanges and supervised injection sites for addicts. We need to focus on dealers, not the users. Most importantly, we need to be ready and adaptive to change when a crisis such as this takes hold of our community and threatens its safety.

Likewise, as we head into the future, we can’t ignore the significant rise in cybercrime that is taking a toll on our communities. From online predatory crimes, online bank information theft, identify theft and cyberterrorism, technology plays a large role in much of the crime committed today. In fact, it’s estimated that 53 per cent of our crime has some type of technology involved in it. Therefore, it’s important that we incorporate a dedicated MARCH 2017

team of officers whose sole focus is on curbing cybercrime.

The legalization of marihuana is also an issue affecting police services across Canada, putting officers in a precarious position since, although it is still technically illegal, it is expected to be legal soon. It is causing concern in regards to several issues including, access to the drug by young people, road safety, dependency and the monitoring and availability of poor-quality products. Changes will be occurring at a rapid rate in 2017 and we need to be prepared to take them on.

But it’s not just criminal issues that we need to focus on. Taking a look at your internal organization is just as important. In fact, it is essential and beneficial for every service to focus on the morale and wellness of its employees. Our Service is fortunate to be able to provide Road to Mental Readiness training for every member, reminding us all about the importance of peer support and self-care. Our organizations are only as good as the people who help run it, which means the health and wellness of our employees is vital to a successfully-run service.

To summarize, we need to modernize our agencies to keep up with these ever-changing issues, as well as the changes in public policy and public demand. This is done by being adaptive, flexible and priority focused. If we do this, we will be able to maintain the exceptional leadership, commitment to community service and passion for policing excellence that we all strive to provide.

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www.BlueLine.ca

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Bryan Larkin is the chief of the Waterloo Regional Police Service in Waterloo Region, Ontario. He started his policing career as a constable with the Waterloo Regional Police Service in 1991 and quickly rose through the ranks to become superintendent and Executive Officer. He also served as Deputy Chief and Chief of the Guelph Police Service from 2011 to 2014. In 2016, he was made a member of the Governor General’s Order of Merit of the Police Forces. He can be reached at bryan.larkin@wrps.on.ca.

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YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IMPRESSED.

RAM 1500 SPECIAL SERVICE 395 horsepower, 410 lb-ft of torque* DODGE CHARGER ENFORCER Available AWD with active transfer case and front-axel disconnect DODGE DURANGO SPECIAL SERVICE 8-speed automatic transmission As policing gets ever more complex and specialized, you need a vehicle that can keep up. You won’t find a more impressive lineup than this: Ram 1500 Special Service, Dodge Charger Enforcer and Dodge Durango Special Service. Each loaded with safety and security features. Each purpose-built to excel in its field. Each offering uncompromising performance, capability and reliability. Whatever your policing needs, they’ve got you covered.

fleet.fcacanada.ca

1 800 463-3600 *Available on the 5.7L HEMI® VVT V8.