Fifteen to 20 per cent of B.C. sheriffs have not requalified in firearm and use-of-force training on time, putting courthouse staff and the public at risk, says a report from B.C.’s auditor general.
“Failure to properly train sheriffs increases the risk of incidents, accidents and injuries should a sheriff need to use their firearm or force,” auditor general Carol Bellringer said in a statement. “Typically, courts don’t operate without sheriffs present, as a sheriff’s role is to provide for the safety and security of the courts.”
The Office of the Auditor General audited the B.C. Sheriff Service because of a chronic shortage of sheriffs. It has issued a report titled Managing Human Resources at the B.C. Sheriff Service.
The audit looked at how well the service is recruiting, retaining and training its staff, because having the right staff helps ensure the safety and security of the courts, Bellringer said.
It concluded that the sheriff service had not implemented effective plans and strategies to recruit, train and develop the staff it needs to provide for the safety and security of the justice system. “This does not mean the courts are not safe and secure, as there are many variables,” said the report.
In February 2017, the Times Colonist reported that two accused drug dealers were set free because of a shortage of sheriffs at the Victoria courthouse. The shortage closed courtrooms and delayed cases, resulting in cases being dismissed.
Although the sheriff service launched a plan in 2017 to overcome some of its human-resource challenges, more needs to be done, Bellringer said. The sheriff service plans to develop a retention strategy this year.
The audit found that from 2012 to 2017, the sheriff service lost more staff than it was able to recruit. And although the service increased the number of new recruits, it doesn’t have the data or the tools to determine whether there are enough sheriffs to keep courts safe and secure, Bellringer said.
The sheriff service has gathered some information on reasons sheriffs leave for other jobs, but not enough to determine the primary reasons, or how to retain them, she said. “This is important, given the critical need for sheriffs and the time and cost to train them,” Bellringer said.
New sheriff recruits receive considerable training, but there is no comprehensive plan to meet the ongoing training needs for sheriffs already on the job, the report said. In 2017-18, fewer than 40 per cent of sheriffs requalified on their ongoing mandatory firearm and use-of-force training.
In March 2019, the sheriff service relaxed its training requirement by allowing staff to go longer between requalifying for their ongoing mandatory firearm and use-of-force training, Bellringer said.
It made the change without examining the impact it would have on sheriffs’ abilities to safely use their firearms or exert force.
“Even with this change, we found that 15 to 20 per cent of staff had still not requalified on their firearm and use-of-force training on time,” Bellringer said.
However, in the report, the Ministry of the Attorney General said this finding might lead the public to believe that sheriffs are not properly trained in firearms and the use of force. “This Ministry responds that this is not the case. The March 2019 policy amendment referred to in this finding was updated to reflect existing policy and practice. Current re-certification practices have been in place since April 2017. There was no change to BCSS recertification requirements during the audit. However, the policy manual was updated.”
The report has eight recommendations, including the creation of a strategic human resources position and a strategy to retain sheriffs, and the development of a training plan that defines training expectations for all its staff.
The full report is available on the Office of the Auditor General website: bcauditor.com.
