Limited Training for Nova Scotia Police Officers Contributed to Family Murders

A critical lack of training for Nova Scotia police officers in intimate partner violence in the years leading up to a 2017 murder-suicide has been laid bare in a provincial fatality inquiry. The inquiry, which aims to prevent future deaths by making recommendations for institutional and government change, has heard testimony from experts that the limited training was largely due to a shortage of police consultants. Sharon Flanagan, senior adviser on policing and public safety with the Justice Department, testified that only one provincial adviser trains and audits the province's municipal police services, RCMP, and military police, a stark contrast to the eight consultants who existed when she started in 2003.

Key Takeaways:

• In the seven years before the 2017 murder-suicide, Nova Scotia police officers had limited training in intimate partner violence, largely due to a shortage of police consultants.
• Sharon Flanagan, senior adviser on policing and public safety, testified that there were few training courses offered between 2009 and 2016.
• The number of police consultants shrank through attrition and weren't replaced, with Flanagan being the only one left by 2016.
• In 2016, trauma-informed training resumed, but there is uncertainty whether it "simply fell by the wayside" due to a lack of staffing in previous years or funding cuts.
• Peter Jaffe, an academic expert on domestic violence, stated that there were "clear warning signs" of the tragedy that went unnoticed by doctors, mental health professionals, and police officers.
• A pattern of risk was missed due to a lack of communication between institutions and a focus on treating Desmond's post-traumatic stress disorder and deteriorating mental health.
• A provincial audit conducted in 2019 found that most police agencies had policies in place for responding to intimate partner violence cases, but supervisors and those in charge of case management may need extra support and training.

Statistics:

• Between 2009 and 2016, there were few training courses offered to Nova Scotia police officers on intimate partner violence.
• In 2019, a provincial audit found that 110 police officers attended a training session on responding to intimate partner violence cases, including some from the RCMP.
• By 2016, there was only one provincial adviser left to train and audit the province's municipal police services, RCMP, and military police.
• The Inquiry is expected to make recommendations for institutional and government change to prevent future deaths.

Sources:

• CBC News
• Justice Department, Nova Scotia
• Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women & Children (Pete Jaffe)
• Office of the Chief Coroner for Nova Scotia
• Province of Nova Scotia