Halifax Regional Police are dragging their feet in implementing a new system to review their sexual assault investigations.
The municipality’s Board of Police Commissioners first received a presentation on the Violence Against Women Advocate Case Review (VACR) model in June 2022 from Sunny Marriner, the Canadian lead on the VACR model.
Under the VACR model, a team of people already working with survivors in the community reviews every sexual assault case that doesn’t lead to charges. The team identifies cases that require further investigation, or shouldn’t have been closed.
More than a year later, in July, Supt. Andrew Matthews brought a report to the board outlining three options for implementing the VACR model in Halifax. Those options were the model Marriner described, where all cases are reviewed; a hybrid model where cases closed at the survivor’s request wouldn’t be subject to review; and the status quo.
The board preferred the first option, and voted for a motion from Coun. Lindell Smith requesting “a follow up update on the progress of the implementation of the Violence Against Women Advocate Case Review Model by the end of October 2023.”
Marriner told the board in July that a team could be reviewing files by this fall. Based on a report to the board on Wednesday, that’s not going to happen.
Jurisdictional scan, but no update on implementation
The report, again from Matthews, detailed the results of a jurisdictional scan. Police asked their counterparts in five jurisdictions about their experience with the VACR model. Specifically, they asked about the participation of third-party organizations; changes to workload; “improvements in investigative outcomes;” and resources.
“The responses received from participating agencies affirm the positive impact of the VACR initiative. Notable improvements in investigative outcomes, coupled with enhanced collaboration with community partners, demonstrate the significance of this program,” Matthews wrote in conclusion.
“While increased workload and resource allocation challenges were acknowledged, agencies unanimously emphasize that the benefits far outweigh any associated drawbacks.”
Matthews was in B.C. on Wednesday for the funeral of slain RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien, and thus unable to attend the meeting to answer the board’s questions.
Commissioner Harry Critchley asked Acting Chief Don MacLean what’s next.
MacLean said the next step is to continue gathering information. He said he hadn’t spoken with Marriner.
“I don’t know if there’s an exact date we’re looking at,” MacLean said, noting he’s only been on the job a couple weeks.
Police might have answers by end of 2023
MacLean police should have an idea when they can implement the VACR model by the end of the year.
“The feeling that I have is that the board’s provided direction on this,” Critchley said.
“But when we had Ms. Marriner here in July, the question was really around, when would this start? I understand that you’re saying that as this time, you need more information before you can provide me with a clear answer. What I’d be hoping for is that in the near future, this be brought back so we can stay on top of that, just given the length of time that’s passed from when this was initially brought forward to where we are today, keeping in mind that lots of work has been done in the meantime.”
Critchley said if the police need more staff to make VACR happen, they should ask for that during coming budget deliberations.
Smith, who requested the report in July, deferred the item on Wednesday’s agenda pending another update on what he asked for in the first place, the implementation of VACR.
“The hope was, in October, we’d get that, but we’re now in October and we won’t have another meeting until the following month,” Smith said.
Thank you for your dedication and service to the community. Best wishes in your new role.
Zane, good luck with your new job