BC Policing and Community Safety Plan - Ministry of Justice ...

NEXT STEPS: The Ministry of Justice will strike the Working Group in 2014 to review models of multi-agencycollaboration in other provinces, and study the feasibility of adopting a similar model in British Columbia witha target completion date of March 2016. In consultation with the Information and Privacy Commissioner, theMinistry of Justice will also review existing legislation and policies to identify barriers to appropriate informationsharing among agencies.Theme #4 – Protect Vulnerable Persons: police and the provincialgovernment are committed to protecting vulnerable persons•¡Support cultural awareness trainingACTION ITEM #11: The Ministry of Justice will ensure the development and delivery of cultural awareness andsensitivity training for all police officers in British Columbia, consistent with the recommendations in the MWCIReport.CONSULTATION FINDINGS: Participants in the engagement process wanted police to put greater effort intoestablishing outreach to groups such as new immigrants, the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered (LGBT)community, First Nations and marginalized community members. New police training should focus on keychallenges such as mental health and intimate partner violence. They recommended increased interculturalconnections and cultural sensitivity training not just for police but for civilian police employees as well.CHALLENGE: In his MWCI Report, Commissioner Oppal envisions training that encompasses a mandatory suiteof cultural awareness and sensitivity training courses for all police officers in British Columbia. He recommendsthat the training program include experiential and interactive training that can be adapted for police communicationsstaff as required. 34The Ministry of Justice has reviewed the overall police training environment in British Columbia and hasestablished a learning strategy for police to address issues of training standardization and quality. Previously,the ministry designed, developed and successfully implemented mandatory training programs that addresssome aspects of the MWCI Report recommendations pertaining to sensitivity and cultural awareness training. 35NEXT STEPS: The Ministry of Justice will review the current recruit and advanced training curriculum to ensureit incorporates the key values inherent in culturally sensitive policing with a target completion date of March2014. In collaboration with key stakeholders, a review of present training and best practices related to culturalawareness and sensitivity training for police officers will be completed. Where gaps occur, the ministry willoversee the development of a suite of cultural awareness and sensitivity training courses for all police officersin British Columbia as part of its ongoing, multi-year review of police training.•¡Develop police-related strategies for persons in crisiswith mental illness and/or addictionsACTION ITEM #12: The Ministry of Justice will work with stakeholders to promote best practices and expandsuccessful policing strategies such as integrated police/health initiatives across the province; and conducta study to examine contact between police officers and persons with a mental illness and/or addictions todevelop resource-efficient and effective strategies for these interactions.34 Oppal, 2012, Vol. 3, 219.35 For example, the provincial domestic violence training series for police in British Columbia addresses basic issues aroundinvestigating and assessing domestic violence risks to vulnerable women. The training features specific learning objectivesaddressing the vulnerabilities of women in circumstances of relative social powerlessness (i.e., isolation or marginalization factorssuch as addiction, poverty, disability, mental illness; Aboriginal, immigrant or refugee women; other social /cultural issues).THEMES AND ACTION ITEMS 37