Hamilton police to review ‘unfounded’ sex assault cases

Hamilton police are promising to work with community advocates to review sexual assault cases that were cleared as “unfounded” starting in 2010.

The massive review of roughly 700 cases was requested by Hamilton’s police board and follows a national discussion on unfounded rates spurred by a Globe and Mail investigation.

Unfounded is a code used to close files in policing when investigators do not believe a crime occurred as reported.

Hamilton dismissed 30 per cent of claims between 2010 and 2014, well above the national average of 19 per cent, according to the report.

“The ultimate goal is to increase the service delivery for victims of sexual assault,” said Insp. David Hennick, adding that police are committed to doing the review right.

It will be done in two parts, with police doing an internal review of all unfounded cases from 2010 to 2014 (the years studied by the Globe), and the Woman Abuse Working Group (WAWG) being brought in to help audit a random and representative sampling of cases dismissed between 2010 and 2016.

“I’m excited,” said Yolisa De Jager, chair of the WAWG, which is composed of more than 20 agencies working to end violence against women.

“We hope the review will lead to a better understanding of how police approach sexual assault.”

Hamilton police previously said a more detailed analysis of internal sexual assault statistics shows the number of unfounded cases is dropping, including to 16.5 per cent last year.

The sexual assault unit also improved some practices in 2015, including training detectives on the impact sexual assault trauma can have on the brain and memory.

Despite these changes, the police board pushed for a full review.

The group is still working out the details, with plans for training and terms of reference before the review begins.

Lenore Lukasik-Foss, director of the Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton Area (SACHA), will sit on the audit team, along with representatives from the indigenous community and the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Care Centre at McMaster.

Lukasik-Foss says the move a big undertaking.

“It’s a beginning,” she said. “This is certainly a step in the right direction.”

The entire process is expected to take three to four months and will also include reviewing police policies, training, supervision and records management.