Border agency misses target on firearm records: audit, CP
OTTAWA -- An internal review found records were "missing or incomplete"
for almost half of cases in which newly armed Canadian border agents
drew their guns.
And border officers in one region were completely unaware they had to send
reports to headquarters on incidents involving force, including use of weapons
such as pepper spray and batons.
"This may result in information on incidents not being reviewed, incomplete
data on the use of force and no followup or investigation taken to address
serious concerns," says the Canada Border Services Agency audit completed
in October. "Therefore, the agency may not analyze breaches of policy and
ensure corrective action is taken when systemic problems become evident."
The lapses were among early growing pains cited in the report on the agency's
ongoing initiative to arm border officers. While the auditors found "reasonable
progress had been made" in putting the program's building blocks in place,
there was also room for improvement on setting use-of-force policies, training
staff, assessing the various risks, and tracking ammunition and spare firearms.
The audit made several recommendations for improvement and spelled out plans
by the border services agency to deal with the glitches over the next two years.
Border officers have been provided in recent years with handcuffs, pepper spray,
batons, protective vests and use-of-force training to help them enforce the law.
Three years ago the Conservative government announced a 10-year plan to train
and equip 4,800 officers to carry firearms -- an initiative long rejected as
unnecessary by the Liberals. Almost 500 officers were instructed in gun use
from July 2007 through last June.
The review was done to nip any problems with the controversial program in the bud.
The auditors looked at 23 incidents from July 2007 to April 2008 -- 10 involving
guns and 13 randomly selected events concerning general use of force. Of the
firearm incidents, six files contained the necessary documentation. In the other
four cases, review reports were missing or documentation had not been signed
by the officers involved.
The audit also found the border agency's procedures were vague on what officers
"are permitted to do, expected to do or prohibited from doing" in situations
involving use of pepper spray and batons. "Management advised that detailed
guidance on administering general use of force would be provided in training
packages that are being developed."
Tracie LeBlanc, a spokeswoman for the border services agency, said that
whenever officers use force the agency reviews the matter and confirms
if standards and protocols were followed and identifies any discrepancies
and required actions. LeBlanc added that border officers are "well aware
of situations in which force may be used, and are trained in the proper
use and application of force."
In each of the 23 cases in which officers used force, proper procedures
were followed during the actual incidents, the audit says. Though
employees have pulled guns from their holsters, none has fired one on
duty, said Ron Moran, national president of the Customs Excise Union,
which represents border officers.
Moran said he was generally pleased with the arming program's
implementation, and took issue with the notion that use-of-force training
was lacking. But Moran said he was surprised the audit didn't mention
that officers took firearm training at congested ranges in Ottawa and
Chilliwack, B.C. It means officers are sometimes on the ranges at 2 or
3 a.m. after being in class all day, he said. "It's just an accident waiting
to happen."
The audit says there was initial confusion over whether officers were
required to wear their guns during meal and rest breaks, as well as
whether employees on extended leave could keep their firearms.
The auditors also found a need to prepare officers who don't carry
guns for situations when they find themselves caught up in the middle
of altercations between colleagues with firearms and members of the
public. Delays in entering data about training and inventory, along with
"problems regarding user friendliness," meant regional branches of the
border agency were bypassing the central computer system and setting
up their own databases -- a wasteful duplication of effort.
The border agency has developed and is now using a national information
system that provides access to timely, comprehensive arming data, LeBlanc
said.
The report also reveals a full assessment of risks associated with the arming
initiative won't be complete until April.
