Waterloo Region sexual assault task force ‘continually meeting’

By cceolin

Regional Police are looking at ways to adopt what’s often referred to as the gold standard of sexual assault case review.

With the hope it will lead to even wider change, the Region-wide sexual assault task force has been divded into two subcommittees — one of which will study the ‘Philadelphia Model’ and how it can be applied here.

“What they do is every year, community groups come in, so sexual assault support groups, victims-centric groups, and they actually evaluate investigations where it has been determined that they’re unfounded or cleared otherwise,” says Inspector Mike Haffner. “We’re hoping that [the subcommittee] can provide some guidance to address different ways and aspects of reporting structure and investigations of sexual assaults.”

The sexual assault task force was introduced back in May to improve our unfounded rate. Haffner says the second subcommittee will evaluate and audit the unfounded sexual assaults that have been reported to Regional Police in the last few years.

Sara Casselman, Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, is chairing both committees.

“Both of these groups are continuing to do work. They are continually meeting,” Haffner says.

The task force is expected to present a report of its finding to the Police Services Board sometime early next year.

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