Halifax police oversight board member wants openness after audit

A member of Halifax's police oversight board says he wants to see more openness from Halifax Regional Police.

That's after internal police auditors couldn't locate one third of the drug and cash exhibits they sampled in the drug storage vaults.

Auditors also found many exhibits were unsealed, while others had unreadable labels.

Board unaware

The problems were first identified in a draft audit in November 2015.

But board members weren't told until last Wednesday, the day before the news broke.

"I'm surprised that the board wasn't aware of the information earlier," said Jeff Mitchell of the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners.

"If the police commission isn't aware of important information that relates to governance, then the board can't govern appropriately," he said.

• Halifax police evidence audit raises serious questions for defence lawyer

'How is itgoing to be fixed'

Mitchell said he's glad a special meeting of the board is scheduled Thursdayafternoon so the public can hear from Halifax Regional PoliceChief Jean-Michel Blais. Part of the meeting will be held behind closed doors, but Mitchell wants as much of the discussion held in public as possible.

"It's important that the public have the utmost trust and connection with the police force," he said.

Mitchell also wants to make it clear what information is to be shared with the board, and when.

"A big part of this issue is what's going to happen next, how is it going to be fixed, and how won't this happen again," he said.

'Just shocking'

Meanwhile, a director of Canada's Criminal Lawyers' Association says he's surprised by the security lapses described in the drug audit.

"I don't know what people are doing over there to have let this happen, and how long it's gone on for, but to me it's just shocking," said Leo Russomanno, a criminal defence lawyer who practises in Ottawa.

'Windows password has more security'

The audit identified a lack of security cameras around the vaults to record who is coming and going.

Auditors found the drug lockers can be opened by any municipal master key, and that security codes are rarely changed as staff come and go.

"Everybody has access to it, and it never gets changed. My Windows password has more security than that," Russomanno said.

CBC reporter Jack Julian tweeted fromtoday's Board of Police Commissioners meeting.