Forces launches investigative team to handle sexual crimes

OTTAWA — The Canadian Forces have created a team of investigators to handle sexual crimes after concerns were raised last year that military police didn’t have the skills and experience necessary to deal with such offences.

Brig.-Gen. Rob Delaney, the military’s top police officer, announced the creation of the new 18-member team during a ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Trenton on Tuesday.

Team members have been given specialized training to better investigate crimes and support victims, officials said. They will be deployed to six locations across Canada to respond whenever and wherever an alleged sexual offence takes place.

“Our job as military police is to protect the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families,” Delaney said. “The creation of the Sexual Offences Response Team and the increase in personnel to tackle these crimes will enable us to better support victims of sexual misconduct and ensure timely, professional investigations.”

Military police investigated 280 alleged sexual crimes in 2015 and during the first six months of 2016. They laid 49 charges, although it’s unknown how many resulted in convictions.

Retired Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps sharply criticized the military police service in her report last year on sexual misconduct in the forces.

Some have suggested that criminal investigations dealing with sexual offences should be left with civilian authorities. But military police commanders say they are the only ones with the jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed by military personnel on missions abroad.