Halifax police chief to testify as we speak at Nova Scotia mass taking pictures inquiry

The Halifax Regional Police chief is scheduled to face questions as we speak on the public inquiry into the 2020 Nova Scotia mass taking pictures.

It’s anticipated that Dan Kinsella will probably be requested about his power’s working relationship with the RCMP and Halifax Regional Police’s function in responding to the two-day rampage that ended on April 19, 2020, and resulted in 22 deaths.

Co-ordination between RCMP and municipal police forces in the course of the mass taking pictures has been some extent of rivalry in the course of the inquiry.

Each the Halifax and Truro police forces have been concerned within the RCMP-led response to the mass killing.

In September 2021, a “wellness report” commissioned by the RCMP and accomplished by an Ottawa-based advisor group, famous that RCMP employees mentioned there was an ongoing “turf battle” over operational management and funding between the Halifax Regional Police and the Nova Scotia RCMP.

A redacted model of this report launched by the inquiry mentioned employees reported that there have been “main dysfunctions” on the Nova Scotia RCMP earlier than the mass taking pictures.

It mentioned that a number of contributors interviewed reported that RCMP members have been doing their finest to associate with the Halifax police, however “the management of (Halifax Regional Police) was doing every part it might to undermine and break the connection with the RCMP with a purpose to entry extra sources from (Halifax Regional Municipality) and the province,” reads the report.

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki testified on Tuesday on the inquiry that she wasn’t conscious for a number of months that the wellness report had been accomplished, including that she first noticed the report in June of this yr.

In his June testimony earlier than the inquiry, Truro police Chief David MacNeil mentioned that the Nova Scotia RCMP didn’t ask him to ship additional assist in the course of the mass taking pictures, although his officers have been skilled in responding to lively shooters and have been among the many closest to the rampage.

He mentioned if his power had been requested, he would “positively” have known as in officers as wanted. MacNeil mentioned they’d carbines of their vehicles and have been skilled to make use of them.

On Monday, Lee Bergerman, the retired commanding RCMP officer for the province, was requested on the inquiry if organizational points between the RCMP and municipal police affected the police response to the mass taking pictures. She mentioned no.

However within the aftermath of the tragedy, “it was obvious that it turned fashionable to distance your self from the RCMP as a result of we’re receiving a number of criticism publicly,” Bergerman mentioned.

“There have been occasions the place there was a chance for sure (police) chiefs to publicly say adverse issues. That was the beginning of it,” she mentioned.

Bergerman added that she believes the RCMP’s push to determine provincewide policing requirements “has triggered a rift between the RCMP, the Division of Justice and municipal policing businesses.”

When requested why that might trigger stress, Bergerman mentioned, “you would need to ask a municipal police chief why that may trigger issues.” She added that provincial police requirements would doubtless require municipalities to have specialised police models, which may very well be “cost-prohibitive.”

Kinsella is scheduled to seem as a witness earlier than the inquiry as we speak at 2 p.m.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Aug. 25, 2022.