The day before Valentine’s Day, during a severe snowfall, the @HfxRegPolice Twitter account sent out a reminder to residents that it’s illegal to walk on the street. “No, that’s not what the law says at all,” responded Ben Wedge, a transportation advocate and former member of Halifax’s Crosswalk Safety Advisory Committee. “If you could leave […]
Police
Posted inNews + Opinion
Police accidentally release social media passwords to The Coast
It took several months of trying and a Freedom of Information request to get ahold of the police department’s Drug Exhibit Audit last year. Far easier than obtaining that public report was gaining access to the department’s private social media passwords, which Halifax Regional Police mistakenly and unknowingly released to The Coast. Two weeks ago, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Police trying to determine who owns interest earned off seized drug cash
The cops don’t want it, but what to do with it and who owns it is proving difficult to figure out. Halifax Regional Police has generated $12,378 over the last four years by depositing seized drug money into an interest-bearing bank account. Last year’s Drug Exhibit Audit recommended that practice stop immediately—and the funds be […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Lack of outrage over missing evidence surprises American policing expert
Maybe it’s our Canadian politeness, but one of America’s leading experts on evidence control is surprised by the lack of public outcry after hearing Halifax Regional Police have misplaced nearly 3,000 exhibits. “Here in the US, they would have challenged every case in the vault,” says Joseph Latta, executive director of the International Association for […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Street checks and balances
Do you trust the police? The Board of Police Commissioners would like to know. “You have to be open,” says BPC chair and deputy mayor Steve Craig. “You have to hear what’s being said and take that all in, whether you like what’s being said or not.” The Halifax police department’s civilian overseers are quietly […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Evidence control problems date back decades
Over a decade since first identifying severe problems in policy and procedures, Halifax Regional Police are making progress in cleaning up the department’s evidence control system. The work is needed now more than ever, as preliminary results from a full evidence inventory review says nearly 3,000 drug and cash exhibits can’t be found. Police chief […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Reading for the revolution with Black Lives Matter
“Knowledge is power and I hope it gives them courage to speak up and really understand what solidarity means,” says Shaya Ishaq. Ishaq and Jade Byard Peek are behind Halifax’s first Black Lives Matter reading group. The weekly gathering is free and meets every Wednesday evening at the Khyber Centre for the Arts. “We have […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax police opt out of Pride parade
[Image-1] Halifax Regional Police will be increasing their presence at this year’s Pride festival, but the department won’t be partaking in the annual parade. The voluntary withdrawal was announced today by HRP after ongoing discussions with Halifax Pride and coming amidst national debate about the appropriateness of a uniformed police presence in pride parades. “We […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Questions linger over Halifax police’s street check data
Nzingha Millar says recent statistics released by Halifax Regional Police makes her question the progress made when it comes to racial profiling the community. “This is anti-black racism specifically–not just non-white people being checked.” Millar is currently a student in the one-year journalism program at King’s. She’s one of four panelists scheduled to participate in […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Street checks by Halifax police are unacceptable says privacy lawyer
[Image-1] David Fraser doesn’t remember the last time he was stopped by police. But he knows it happens disproportionately to other people, and that’s a problem. “I’m a middle-aged white guy,” says Fraser, a privacy lawyer with McInnes Cooper. “If I get stopped by the cops at night, I have way more confidence that I’m […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax police will keep using street checks
[Image-1] With no research on its effectiveness, and facing strong evidence that black people are overwhelmingly targeted, Halifax Regional Police still aren’t interested in suspending the practice of “street checks.” The idea for a moratorium on the controversial tactic was made by Sylvia Parris—the lone African-Nova Scotian representative on Halifax’s Board of Police Commissioners—during a […]
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How to solve a murder
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It begins with a call. “It all starts with patrol,” says Jason Withrow. “They’re the ones who show up [in uniform] when 911 is called. After that, it goes up the chain until we’re alerted.” His partner, detective Derrick Boyd, points to the cell phone holstered to his hip. The two investigators always have […]
