Days after the second police-involved shooting in Waterloo Region in less than a month, the group overseeing Waterloo Regional Police learned that the local police organization is part of a province-wide review looking at when and how police officers use force.
But despite the timing of the events, there’s no connection between the two.
“Our police service has always been at the table. We’ve been one of the agencies supporting a larger discussion,” Chief Bryan Larkin told CTV News.
In early 2014, the Office of the Independent Police Review Director announced plans to review use of force procedures and practices in the Toronto Police Service.
That review has since expanded to include every policing organization in Ontario.
Use of force has been a hotly debated topic in Waterloo Region in recent weeks, stemming from the shooting death of Beau Baker in Kitchener and a more recent incident in Cambridge.
In a statement released Wednesday, Baker’s family said the 20-year-old had “documented mental health issues and was in obvious emotional distress” when police arrived at his residence.
“Beau’s family believes that with proper policing his death was avoidable,” the statement reads.
Larkin says he understands community concerns about when police use force, but feels the system already provides oversight and accountability mechanisms.
“I think we do a number of things very well, but I think it’s also very wise … to look at how we can do better,” he said.
Currently, Waterloo Regional Police investigate incidents in which force is used.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit is also called in whenever somebody is seriously injured or killed during an interaction with police.
