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Regina police pilot program will allow experts to review sex assault cases

May 6, 2019 | 10:43 AM

REGINA — The Regina Police Service is the latest agency in Canada to pilot a program that allows sexual assault cases to be reviewed by outside experts.

The service says it will be trying the program first used in Philadelphia that allows external advocates to help police review sexual assault and abuse cases to ensure investigations are thorough and correctly classified.

The province is funding the program and says sexual assault cases that were initially classified as unfounded have been reopened in other Canadian cities where the Philadelphia model exists. 

Regina police Chief Evan Bray says such reviews will improve police transparency and accountability.

The service plans to train with a Canadian Philadelphia model expert and start the 17-month pilot this summer.

Last summer, Calgary police announced they would begin reviewing case files using the same approach and said they were the first agency in Canada to adopt the model.

 

The Canadian Press