Halifax police board considers independent reviews of sexual assault cases

The Halifax board of police commissioners is studying an independent review model to examine sexual assault cases where charges don't proceed.

The Violence Against Women Advocate Case Review process was discussed at a board meeting this week.

Adopted by 30 police services in five provinces, the approach allows for an independent third-party to review police investigations in sexual assault cases.

Advocates for victims are often part of the teams doing the work.   

"I think it is critically important that survivors have that voice to be able to be telling people what their experience is," said Sunny Marriner, a national co-ordinator with the project.

'Entirely what VACR is intended to catch'

Marriner made a presentation to the commissioners during a virtual meeting. 

She said adopting the model would provide a new level of oversight to Halifax Regional Police.

Discussions with experts who could be involved in the reviews have already taken place.

"They have to be people who are talking to survivors as their core work," Marrinser said. "They have to be people who are subject matter experts in sexual violence, not just any form of violence."

Since the reviews began in Canada in 2016, charges have been laid in some cases that were reopened as a result, Marriner said.

Carrie Low's case, she said, is a good example of the type of investigation that would be undertaken.

The Halifax woman, who says her 2018 rape case was mishandled, has been providing details to a police review board this week.

"This is entirely what VACR is intended to catch," Marriner said. "She's gone through five years of an uphill battle."

Hundreds of files could be reviewed if model adopted

The advocate case review model is one of three under consideration in Halifax.

A case conference process that involves examining a sample size of cases is the second option. The third option is the status quo.

However, a report to the board stated there would be a "continued risk of non-transparency" if investigations carry on in their current form.

Halifax Regional Police Supt. Andrew Matthews, who oversees the service's criminal investigation division, said around 300 files could be reviewed if VACR is introduced.

He told the commissioners he has had many conversations with Marriner and that more work needs to be done to figure out how the project can be implemented.

"One of the main considerations that we have to look at when we are implementing this type of a project is how it interacts with what we are currently doing, and how we can integrate without disrupting business," he said 

Challenges around sharing information

Matthews said that could include checking with other police agencies of similar sizes to see how they addressed some questions he has.

One of the challenges he mentioned is how information would be shared with people involved in the review process.

The commission made no decisions on the matter. Coun. Lindell Smith, who is on the board, said he wants further discussion to focus on the VACR model rather than other options.

Smith has asked for a followup report to be completed this fall.

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