3 levels of policing

• Federal

  • RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)

  • CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Services)

• Provincial

  • OPP (Ontario Provincial Police)

  • QPP (Quebec Provincial Police)

• Municipal

  • SPD (Surrey Police Department)

  • VPD (Vancouver Police Department)

  • Delta Police

  • RCMP

  • New Westminster

  • West Vancouver

Police training

• Federal agents train at a depot in Regina

• Municipal agents train at the Justice Institute in New Westminster

Steps in a lawful arrest

• Notice on Arrest

• Advising the arrest

• Caution 1, Right to Counsel

• Caution 2, Right to remain silent

• Physical Custody

Why has the profession of being a police officer become more difficult over the past decade?

• Changing social views

  • People see them as racist

• Phones

  • The public can record interactions

How do the police use their presence in our community in positive ways?

• Community presence and involvement

  • RCMP Basketball Tournament

Levels of interaction that lead up to deadly force

1. Presence

2. Restraining hands without handcuffs

3. Shooting

What legal documents holds officers accountable during their shifts?

• Charter of Rights and Freedoms

3 ways the police can arrest you

• Appearance Notice

  • (least serious)

  • The person will receive a document telling them they have to appear in court

• Arrest at Scene

  • This arrest occurs when the police have reasonable grounds to believe the accused committed a crime

• Arrest Warrant

  • (most serious)

  • warrant issued by a judge which authorizes the arrest of an individual or the search and seizure of their property

How can a citizen’s arrest be problematic?

• The wrong person could be arrested

• The citizen could be charged with assault for using excessive force

• Their own lives could be in danger

Steps to get a search or arrest warrant

1. The police must visit a Justice of Peace or Provincial Court Judge

2. The police must swear an Affidavit

2 instances where the police don’t need a warrant to search a suspect

1. Under arrest; officers can search for weapons or additional evidence

2. Reasonable grounds; officers can search if they believe someone is carrying a prohibited weapon or illegal substances

What is the difference between being detained and being arrested by the police?

• Detained = when the police restricts you, physically or psychologically, but they need more evidence as to how you were involved.

  • usually take less time, just for officials to assess situations

  • EX: the police pulling you over while driving

• Arrested = the action of seizing someone to take them into custody

  • will be kept for longer times and there is a whole process to prove innocence

Examples of evidence that can be found at a crime scene

• Weapons

• Blood traces

• Footprints

• Fingerprints

• Hair strands

Crime scene investigator role

• Document the crime scene

• Put together evidence

• Test any DNA traces left at the scene

List 4 rights protected under the Charter for adult offenders being arrested

• Right to a lawyer

• Right to remain silent

• Right to bail

• Right to be informed of charges

How are rights of Young Offenders more protected?

• They have right to privacy and special safeguards when a youth is questioned by the police

• They can have parents/guardians present as well as lawyers

• Young offenders must be separated from adult offenders while in custody

Vocabulary

• Full disclosure

  • the obligation of both parties to disclose the whole truth of an act

• Recognizance with or without a Surety

  • Recognizance is a promise made to the court by an offender. Recognizance with a surety means another person makes an additional promise to make sure the first person keeps their promise

  • Recognizance without a surety means it’s the offender alone who makes the promise on their own.

• Bail

  • a payment someone can pay so they can be released from custody while they await trial.

• Bail conditions

  • Not contacting certain people

  • Staying in a specific area

  • Curfew

• Plain View Doctrine

  • Evidence must be in plain view for the police to be able to charge for it

• Reasonable Force

  • An appropriate level of physical force that someone uses to protect themselves

• Excessive force

  • Force that exceeds what is necessary to control a situation

• Preliminary Hearing

  • Held by the court to decide whether there is enough evidence to send the case to trial

• Plea Bargain

  • Agreement by the accused to plead guilty and give testimony for the promise of benefit, such as less prison time or fines.