LPSB Update Their Sexual Assault Investigation Policy Review

The London Police Services Board (LPSB) would like to thank and recognize the members of the public and organizations who have demonstrated great courage and leadership in coming forward to share their knowledge, and in some cases, lived experiences of sexual assaults. This information has been solicited by the LPSB as a way to inform and guide efforts to update our policy for sexual assault investigations. Currently, we would like to provide a more detailed update on where we are in this consultation process, and how this information will inform the development of this policy.

Background and Engagement Process

The development of the sexual assault investigation policy started in January with a motion made during an LPSB meeting, seeking to update and transform the process for reporting sexual assaults to be in line with a victim-centred and trauma-informed approach. As the expanding LPSB sought ways to understand how to build a community-informed approach to this policy development, we created a time limited group of Board members to oversee this process in the absence of having a formal Sub-committee to lead this work.

The first phase of engagement started in February, 2018 and included an open call for people of all experiences, with an emphasis on Indigenous women, women of colour, people who identify as LGBTTQQI2S, people with disabilities and people involved in sex work, to share their experiences. We are grateful for organizations such as ANOVA, who created safe and anonymous spaces for people to share their knowledge over three months, and in some cases facilitating small group discussions. Some people also chose to contact the LPSB directly, and we received a number of emails from people who wanted to contribute their experiences directly.

We acknowledge that since this time, the LPSB has had to take more time than anticipated to respond and deliver a draft policy. Since April, when the last update was released, the LPSB has established a formal Sub-committee on Community Relations to provide oversight and leadership of this important engagement work. As a result of our first Sub-committee meeting, this process has been reviewed, and new timelines have been established. It has been determined that by the end of the 2018 calendar year, the LPSB will have a policy draft for the December board meeting. This revised timeframe includes time to take a deeper dive into two key gaps in the information received: Indigenous experiences and a focus on the intersection between peoples experiencing mental health lens on sexual assaults.

Invitation for more involvement:

The LPSB is seeking support from organizations or researchers who are willing to lend support to mobilize existing literature and reports on the subject matter. This information will be combined with the experiences and narratives coming forward through the direct engagement and consultation that has and will continue to occur through the summer and early fall. If you are interested in volunteering to review literature and reports, please contact the LPSB Administrator, Jennifer Foster by email at: lpsb@londonpolice.ca or by phone at: (519) 661-5646.

The LPSB has made the development of the sexual assault investigation policy the top priority for the Sub-Committee on Community Relations, and will ensure that there is a timely, respectful and safe process, guided through the Board’s core principles and values, to respond to the voices of peoples in the community and develop an updated policy reflective of these voices.

While the Board wishes for the community to identify what their priorities in a Sexual Assault Investigation Policy are, we hope to hear specifically about principles of safety, privacy, notice and transparency. We look forward to working with both organizations and individuals.

Feedback may still be provided by email to lpsb@londonpolice.ca or arrangements can be made to speak with a member of the LPSB Sub-Committee on Community Relations: Vanessa Ambtman-Smith, Susan Toth, or Javeed Sukhera.

About the LPSB:

The London Police Services Board is the independent civilian oversight and governance body responsible for establishing the priorities, objectives and policies for the London Police Service (“LPS”). The Chief of Police, in turn, oversees the police service’s operation in accordance with the objectives, priorities and policies established by the LPSB. In short, the Board determines what outcomes should be achieved or prioritized, while the Chief decides how those outcomes are to be achieved on a day-to-day, operational basis.

Membership of the London Police Services Board:

Ms. Vanessa Ambtman-Smith, Member
Mayor Matt Brown, Member
Councillor Mo Salih, Chair
Dr. Javeed Sukhera
Ms. Susan Toth, Vice Chair
Councillor Jesse Helmer, Member

Read this news update on our website