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The 2015-16 Drug Exhibit Audit was released in June 2016. Today, we’re providing an update on HRP & Halifax District RCMP’s response to the audit.
The audit contained 34 recommendations. A significant amount of work has gone into addressing the gaps outlined in the audit and all of the recommendations have been completed or ongoing. Specifically, we’ve enhanced training, strengthened quality assurance and oversight, improved infrastructure and are in the process of amalgamating numerous policies into one comprehensive policy.
During the 2015-16 Drug Exhibit Audit, 74 exhibits were deemed missing/misplaced. A Review Team was tasked to locate the exhibits. The Review Team:
determined two of the 74 items were not missing, bringing the total down to 72 located 34 items could not locate 38 items, however, believes: 32 exhibits (drugs, drug paraphernalia and miscellaneous non-drug items) were destroyed 6 cash exhibits were deposited into a bank account managed the Special Enforcement Section (SES). The Review Team found no evidence to suggest exhibits were misappropriated; however, this conclusion is not definitive. Using a comprehensive methodology to locate each exhibit, (e.g. interviews with past SES investigators, electronic reviews of Versadex, and physical reviews of exhibit rooms and written journals), the Review Team believes 32 exhibits were destroyed for the following reasons:
1. Exhibits were destroyed without ministerial authorization.
2. Exhibits were physically moved to another location but the movement was not recorded in Versadex.
3. Exhibit entries were duplicated.
4. Exhibit count was not physically verified.
5. Batch destruction was conducted without physical verification of exhibits in the destruction box.
The remaining six exhibits that could not be located are cash items totalling $4,956.00. Five exhibits totalling $4,196.75 may have been a part of a bulk deposit to an SES bank account and the remaining item totalling $759.25 may also be in the bank account, however, the Review Team could not determine any of this conclusively due to insufficient documentation.
Based on the results of the original Drug Exhibit Audit, it was incumbent upon us to conduct a full inventory of all drug-related exhibits. The Review Team conducted an inventory from September 2016 to February 2017 and physically handled 9,792 exhibits in our possession. They observed similar issues that were identified in the Drug Exhibit Audit and, when compared against the electronic inventory, determined that approximately 3,000 drug-related exhibits were outstanding, including 228 cash items totalling approximately $100,000 (includes a variety of currencies).
Since the inventory was completed in early February 2017, the Review Team has focussed on determining the disposition of cash exhibits. They have located approximately $73,000 either with the courts, Seized Property Management Directorate or Integrated Proceeds of Crime; in the SES bank account; or determined the cash had been returned to the owner or used to pay court fines. When they’re done reconciling the outstanding cash, the Review Team will turn their attention to outstanding drug exhibits. It’s important to note that no firearms were found to be missing. (A list of outstanding items from the full inventory can be found at the bottom of this message).
This process will take time and I commit to providing an update on the inventory to the Board of Police Commissioners, media and the public each month, including if there were any affected court cases. To date, one court case has been affected which resulted in the dropping of charge one of numerous charges.
We acknowledge that missing/misplaced exhibits is disconcerting as we realize the profound responsibility that comes with handling exhibits. We recognize that this isn’t what citizens expect or deserve from their police service and that it impacts their trust in us. We’re committed to doing better.
Insufficient training, lack of awareness of record keeping systems, shortcuts and lack of documentation have created systemic issues over many years. The situation was further compounded by the fact that some of the files in the inventory predate our current records management system and the information wasn’t transferred over to the new system. As well, some files are from our predecessor agencies prior to our integration in 2003.
Moving forward, we’re focused on ensuring procedures are strictly adhered to by all officers. We have also put into place an annual inventory of drug-related exhibits to further ensure officers are continuously adhering to the enhanced measures. All of the measures we have taken are designed to improve exhibit handling, safeguard our employees and our organization, and allow us to better serve our citizens.
Thank you,
Chief Jean-Michel (JM) Blais, Halifax Regional Police
Chief Superintendent Lee Bergerman, Officer-in-Charge, Halifax District RCMP
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Full Inventory of Drug-related Exhibits – Outstanding Items as of Feb. 27, 2017; reconciliation ongoing
Note: The outstanding list of items doesn’t include the cash items from the original Drug Exhibit Audit but does include some of the drug, drug paraphernalia and miscellaneous non-drug items as reconciliation is ongoing.
Prioritized the outstanding items as follows:
All cash All restricted weapons The following amounts/types of drugs: 28 grams of marihuana and above 5 opioid pills and above all fentanyl 7 grams of cocaine and above Disregard all paraphernalia/miscellaneous items unless of value Cash
Originally Outstanding:
207 items totalling $98,999.49 in Canadian currency 1 item totalling $100.00 in Canadian Savings Bonds 13 items of uncounted Canadian currency 6 items totalling $196.00 in American currency 1 item for 600 Syrian Pounds (equivalent to $0.37 Canadian) Located as of February 27, 2017
123 items of totalling $72,464.57 in Canadian currency 13 items of uncounted Canadian currency 3 items totalling $161.00 in American currency 1 item for 600 Syrian Pounds (equivalent to $0.37 Canadian) Outstanding as of February 27, 2017
84 items totalling $26,534.92 in Canadian currency 1 item totalling $100.00 in Canada Savings Bonds 3 items totalling $35.00 in American currency Restricted Weapons
Mini stun gun (Talon 80,000 volts) No firearms were outstanding Drugs
Marihuana:
1 item of 18 lbs weed stock 1 item of 20 litres of marihuana oil 1 item of 200 grams of marihuana oil 1 item of 500 grams of marihuana shake powder 1 item of 1,000 grams of marihuana shake plant 20 items of marihuana plants (1,540 plants in total) 8 items of hash block, totalling 3,053 grams 81 items of marihuana, totalling 14,988.19 grams Cocaine:
47 items of cocaine, totalling 1,363.19 grams Psliocybin (mushrooms):
3 items of psilocybin, totalling 147.76 grams Opioids (hydromorphone, morphine, clonazepam, valium, Tylenol 3, steroids, etc.):
1 item of 11 grams of MDMA powder 1 item of 100 millilitres of methadone 157 items that contain pills (7,145 pills in total)