Some old sexual assault cases likely need to be reopened, critic says

At least two other police services in the country have reopened cases earlier dismissed as unfounded, something London's police chief has said isn't likely to happen here.

And it's almost impossible to think that none of the cases reviewed in London don't warrant a second look, a leading voice for victims of abuse tells CBC News.

• Police chief responds to criticism of internal review of sex assault cases

"It's completely out of my realm of reality that they would review that many cases and not reopen any," said Megan Walker, the executive director of the London Abused Women's Centre, one of the community groups that worked closely with the London police chief when news of sexual assault cases being deemed unfoundedfirst came to light.

Earlier this month, Ottawa police arrested a man after reviewing a previously closed rape investigation that was featured in the Globe and Mail series investigation into how sexual assault complaints are dealt with.

Calgary police have also reopened a case after an audit of unfounded cases, though to date no arrests have been made as a result.

• Chief needs to take unfounded sex assaults 'more seriously,' says former cop
• London police 'tone deaf' to sexual assault victims, former officer says

Cases are filed as "unfounded"if a police officer does not believe a crime was attempted or occurred.

London officers dismissedone-third of sexual assault complaints as "unfounded,"one of the highest rates among large police services.

London police chief John Pare committed to an internal audit of 690 cases deemed unfounded between 2010 and 2014 and apologized to victims.

But this month he told CBC's London Morning that his review has found no cases needing further investigation and that nonewould be reopened "at this time."

• LISTEN: Full interview with London police chief John Pare

On Thursday, Pare issued a statement to clarify the purpose of the review.

"This review was not intended to "reinvestigate" each individual case that had been classified as unfounded," thestatement read."But rather to complete an analysis of how the investigations were conducted, the outcomes of the investigations and how those incidents had been classified and cleared."

Pare said the review did not entail "reinvestigating" cases but said police would reopen the investigation into a case if the review uncovered"additional evidence or further investigative avenues."

"Nothing so far has been uncovered to cause us to reopen an investigation," said Pare inthe statement.

Disappointing response, critic says

That's disappointing because at least one case needs to be reopened, Walker said.

It's the one featured in a video in which a woman named Ava is interrogated by London police after she reported being sexually assaulted after a Western University party.

"If that case doesn't even warrant an investigation, then I don't think there's any hope for any other cases," Walker said. If there's one case like that, then it's the tip of the iceberg."

It's disappointing because we were told, as community members who work with victims of abuse and sexual assault, that we'd be the first to be advised of as to any outcome of the London police review. And yet Chief Pare indicated that the review was complete, and we heard about it through the media."

Chief should re-examine cases

Criticisms of the internal review grew after the chief's interviewe aired on Monday.

Walker said she wants the police chief to re-examine the review, and to explain why no problems were found with the original investigations.

"If indeed the review is complete, and if indeed there were no problems with those cases, I'd like to see a sampling of the files so we can see that and determine that as well," Walker said.

Pare said in the statement that the review is active and on-going.

He said that members of the London police have attended training with community partners and they supporta version of a case review model that grants community groups access to sexual assault investigations.