Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety released a list of 45 recommendations following a special inquiry into the operations of the Prince Albert Police Service.
The Prince Albert Police Service has received scrutiny regarding several incidents, with the independent review stemming from three in-custody deaths within a couple of weeks in November 2021.
The inquiry was ordered back on Nov. 8, 2022, and was completed this spring by Rod Knecht and Associates.
“The recommendations identified a number of areas for improvement within the Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS),” Minister of Corrections Christine Tell said.
“Government is working with the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners, the interim Chief, and the Prince Albert Police Association to implement these recommendations and move forward so the people of Prince Albert can be confident in the service’s ability to keep them and their community safe.”
According to Rod Knecht’s LinkedIn profile, he’s been in the law enforcement industry for 40 years with some of that time spent as the chief of police for the Edmonton Police Service.
The first recommendation highlighted the limited number of job descriptions within the PAPS, adding that there should be a job description created for every position, whether they are a sworn officer or a civilian.
It was noted that this allows personnel to understand their roles and responsibilities and can be fairly assessed and held to account.
The second recommendation said the Criminal Investigations Department needs to be enhanced immediately to address serious crimes other than homicides.
“A dedicated four-person detective team to assist Patrol Division would have an immediate positive impact on workload, crime resolution, and public safety,” read the list.
The third recommendation suggests that an internal training audit is required within the next six months to address developmental needs within the force. It added that a three-year training and development plan needs to be created by human resources.
“The PAPS needs to immediately expand its online reporting to include other low priority/non-urgent calls, and aggressively market this option through local media, the City of Prince Albert and on their websites, to the community at large,” read the fourth recommendation.
It said that this increase in reporting will reduce the impact on the patrol division.
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The next recommendation said that a call prioritization and call differentiation system needs to be implemented. It needs to be done in cooperation with the Canadian Public Safety Operations Organization and needs to offer training and clear policies.
The list said the system will also reduce the workload on the patrol division.
Recommendation number six states that an operational communications committee should be created with the PAPS, the government of Saskatchewan emergency communications, the Canadian Public Safety Operations Organization, and a PAPS shift supervisor and operations officer to discuss best practices with communications and technology on a bi-annual basis.
The seventh recommendation notes that recommendations within previous audits done in 2022 should be immediately implemented with a follow-up from the Saskatchewan Police Commission, with recommendation eight stating those same audits should be reviewed by the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners.
An independent coroner’s inquest into the 2021 in-custody deaths is the ninth recommendation on the list, adding that the police service and board of police commissioners should provide inquest recommendations.
A comprehensive risk assessment of the police services was also recommended.
The list said the assessment can help to understand operational and administrative threats and should be an annual process.
Quality assurance audits within high-risk areas are the 11th recommendation, with the list saying this should be tracked by the PAPS executive and should be reported to the board of police commissioners.
“The PAPS requires a comprehensive policy review that reflects current best practices and industry standards in policing and the unique environment of a gateway community with complex criminal and community issues,” read the 12th recommendation.
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It was noted that the policy review could be done by looking at policing policies in similar northern Canada communities, and should be undertaken by a retired PAPS member or a member with duty/health restrictions who has experience with quality assurance and risk management.
Among the rest of the recommendations, some of the highlights include:
- The need for risk management and risk mitigation processes, as the PAPS does not have any
- A Prince Albert Police Association president is needed to build relationships due to issues with PAPS regarding discipline, grievances and overall organizational impairment
- The suggestion that having the mayor of Prince Albert on the board of police commissioners as per the Police Act actually creates a perception of political influence in policing; the mayor should not be on the board
- A recommendation that the board of police commissioners go through an independent hiring process to pick the next chief of police, adding that there should be an emphasis on administrative, interpersonal and leadership skills
- Discipline policies for the PAPS need to be refreshed with best practices and a code of conduct
- The significant use of non-disclosure agreements within PAPS is undermining trust and transparency between management and personnel, and that NDAs should only be used in exceptional circumstances
- Any change to structure and personnel needs to be communicated quickly and clearly by PAPS and the board of police commissioners.
Scott Thompson, assistant professor of sociology at USask, said the recommendations show a need for professionalization and standardization within the police force.
He touched on the development of some official documents within the recommendations, noting it was surprising to see some of these things not already implemented.
“As a researcher … (while) they might have been informally in place, it’s still really surprising that there isn’t formal practice within the police service for these types of documents,” Thompson said.
He said having specific job descriptions for each role was incredibly important. “Having a clear understanding of what it is you’re supposed to do within your job is crucially important to doing a good job.”
Thompson said these recommendations aim to create continuity within policing and bring some ideas on how to boost morale among the staff, but he said a public participation component was missing.
“When we’re looking to make change in these institutions we want to really ensure that all voices are heard.”
He said many police organizations are creating their own communications strategies and public relations departments, but said that can be problematic because it can take away engagement between the police service and the journalistic side of the community that would happen through getting the opportunity to ask questions.
Thompson noted that data-driven policing should also have a say from the community, adding they should get to decide whether that’s the kind of policing they want, and how those decisions and algorithms are made.
“It’s hard to say that things are running poorly just because there aren’t standard procedures, but the research does show that when there are clear understandings in what people are supposed to be doing within their jobs, that aids morale and helps people to have a clear understanding of what the expectations are for front-line officers.”
Thompson did raise the red flag on the government of Saskatchewan stepping into policing, noting there were two recommendations where the province is looking to insert itself into policing on the local level.
He said there were two sides to it, noting policing should always be based on the community voice.
“When you move up and have the province dictating things the concern is that we may be moving away from those local voices.”
Interim PAPS police chief Patrick Nogier sent a statement saying that the police service will evaluate and respond to the recommendations, adding careful consideration will be given and implementation will happen with due diligence.
“The PAPS acknowledges that the successful implementation of recommended change is pivotal in further strengthening our commitment to the community. We are fully aware that the recommendations will have a significant impact on our operations and financial management. However, we are steadfast in our determination to rise to the challenge and implement change effectively and efficiently,” read the statement.
Nogier noted that transparency and open communication are crucial during this process, adding they’ll be engaging with several stakeholders and community organizations to get their input as well.
The Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners also responded to the 45 recommendations, noting they’ve already completed some of them.
“The Board has reaffirmed its commitment to make the changes that need to occur, and has already begun, and in some cases completed, meaningful steps toward implementing recommendations,” said board chair Janet Carriere.
“The Board remains committed to constructive change in the governance and operations of the Prince Albert Police Service. We look forward to continuing to work with Minister Tell and her senior Ministry officials to reinforce best practices in Prince Albert Police Service operations and its governance model”
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