London Police ramp up review of how sexual assault investigations are conducted

Community leaders will consult with London Police on Monday as the force conducts a review of how sexual assault investigations are handled.

Chief John Pare launched the review over the weekend after the Globe and Mail published a damning report alleging London Police dismissed 30 per cent of sexual assault complaints as being baseless allegations.

The report alleges that over a 5 year period, London Police dismissed nearly 1 in 3 sexual assault complaints as ‘unfounded.’

Police reported that in 2014 there were 259 complaints in the city, but that number was actually closer to 400 when those dismissed as unfounded were included, according to the report.

Executive Director of the London Abused Women’s Centre, Megan Walker, met with Police over the weekend after the report was published.

“The Police have identified that they had been coding the sexual assaults incorrectly, and so some of them were coded under ‘unfounded’ when they should have been coded as ‘not enough evidence to proceed.'”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The Police have identified that they had been coding the sexual assaults incorrectly, and so some of them were coded under 'unfounded' when they should have been coded as 'not enough evidence to proceed.'"

She’ll be taking part in Monday’s meeting, scheduled for noon. Walker notes that it’s not just the local force that needs to make changes, but more education on sexual violence is needed in every aspect of society.

“Whether it’s in the criminal justice system or the health system or the education system, and what we need to do is take a look at this in a comprehensive way and try to determine how we can best serve the needs of women who are being sexually assaulted.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Whether it's in the criminal justice system or the health system or the education system, and what we need to do is take a look at this in a comprehensive way and try to determine how we can best serve the needs of women who are being sexually assaulted."

Chief Pare has not said whether the results of the internal review will be made public.

Below is the complete statement issued Saturday by the London Police Service:

In response to a recent article in the media that has questioned police investigations into sexual assaults, Chief John Pare has announced that the London Police Service, in partnership and in consultation with a number of our community partners, will be conducting a thorough review of the manner in which sexual assault investigations are conducted by the London Police Service and the method in which they are categorized and cleared. The review will also examine the training that investigators receive, how we can continue to enhance training, as well as explore ways in which the police may better respond to the needs of victims. In doing so, police want to determine how they may better engage with community partners.

Chief Pare said “The London Police Service is committed to providing the best service possible in response to victims of crime and this review will assist us in maintaining the confidence and trust of the community. Through this review we want to look at our current practices and develop best practices. What are we doing well? What can we improve upon? And what path can we chart for the future?