Nova Scotia implements new policing standards after Mass Casualty report

The Nova Scotia government says it’s modernizing its policing standards with a more effective and accountable policing model that introduces an auditing system for all policing agencies.

Nova Scotia Attorney General and Justice Minister Barbara Adams signed off on 39 new standards Tuesday morning.

“These new standards represent a significant step forward in our commitment to safer communities,” said Adams.

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“Nova Scotians deserve to feel safe in their homes and know that their communities are protected by transparent and accountable police services.”

The new standards impact five areas of policing and public safety, including incident response, police investigations, and police service, including organization and records management, and use of force.

These new policing standards come from recommendations laid out in the Mass Casualty Commission’s final report, which looked into the mass shooting in April 2020 that saw a gunman kill 22 innocent Nova Scotians.

According to the provincial directive, all police, including all municipal police services RCMP in Nova Scotia, are mandated to comply with the standards.

This is the first update to police standards since 2003.

New era of modern policing

Accountability is a major priority, and part of the new policing standards is the establishment of a Public Safety Audit Unit to measure all policing agencies against these new standards.

Nova Scotia’s top RCMP officer, Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley, says the standards are welcomed and mark a new era of modern policing.

“Policing evolves and we need to continually modernize,” said Daley. “This is a step in the right direction by the province.”

Daley says he’s in favour of the auditing unit and suggests it adds a level of accountability but assures the RCMP in Nova Scotia are already meeting or exceeding the standards.

“I’m comfortable if audits started tomorrow,” said Daley.

Adams confirmed that the auditing unit won’t bring work for another year, in order to allow for the 11 police services to implement and meet the new standards.

The audit unit will send its reports to police agency leaders, respective board of police commissioners, and the police departments involved. Adams wouldn’t commit to making the audit reports public at this time, but Daley had no problem with it.

“I would certainly be comfortable,” said Daley. “We are routinely audited from the Office of the Auditor General in Ottawa and those are routinely put out public but that is a decision for the province to make.”

Adams said she signed off on the ministerial directive Tuesday morning, which requires all police services to comply with the new standards starting immediately.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.