“An independent review of Manitoba's Police Services Act says new legislation is needed to govern the province's police watchdog and give it some teeth.”

Via @WFPCarolSanders https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/province-will-fix-legislation-strengthen-police-watchdog-justice-minister-572985532.html

This is the long-awaited review of the PSA—the document governing police forces in Manitoba and the Independent Investigation Unit.

The review was announced during the 2018 throne speech. The result is a 200-page report with 70 recommendations. It was made public Thursday.

The report points out the IIU doesn’t have the authority to require compliance by a police officer, “nor the ability to enforce such compliance in a meaningful way.”

That’s because there’s no clearly stated “duty to comply” with the police watchdog in Manitoba.

As a result, subject officers—those who may be charged as a result of an IIU investigation—can refuse to sit down for an interview, turn over their notes, or provide “full and frank disclosure.”

Back in 2018 when I first began looking at this issue, I reviewed every available IIU final report. I identified a total of 81 subject officers.

At that time, only 23 of 81 subject officers had fully cooperated with IIU investigators since the agency went active in 2015.

Justice Minister Cliff Cullen said the government will introduce legislation next year to strengthen the IIU and fill legislative gaps.

From the article:

"The review contains 70 recommendations having to do with oversight and accountability reforms, the creation of policing standards, enhanced police boards, enhanced alternative service delivery models and the development of community safety (plans).”

The review was conducted by the Saskatchewan-based Community Safety Knowledge Alliance.

According to the province, it’s a “non-profit that supports governments and other stakeholders in developing, implementing and evaluating new approaches to community safety and well-being.”

The CSKA conducted “significant stakeholder consultations," including: police agencies; municipal governments; police boards; oversight agencies; Indigenous organizations; prosecution services; learning institutions; community safety groups; criminal defence lawyers.

A quick look at the CSKA website shows the following people sit on their 11 person board of directors:

Dale McFee, chair + president: chief of Edmonton Police Service; former chief of Prince Albert Police Service; former deputy minister of corrections and policing in Sask.

Rick Linden: sociologist at the University of Manitoba and chair of the Manitoba Police Commission. The MPC was the agency responsible for guiding the creation of the PSA and the IIU in the first place.

Rick Bourassa: chief of the Moose Jaw Police Service; former director of court security in Saskatchewan; former superintendent with the Regina Police Service.