Major Case Management System (Synopsis)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police—'B' Division

Description: To enhance information management for investigations, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) ‘B’ Division adopted the RCMP’s Evidence and Reports III (E&RIII) electronic case management software to create its Major Case Management system in 2006. The software was created by the RCMP as an information management system for investigations of major and complex cases such as homicides and major frauds. It allows for tasks to be created and assigned to investigators. The investigators then document their work and submit any documentary evidence to the Major Case Management Section, which scans or links the documents into a searchable electronic database. The software allows the RCMP to build an electronic court brief for the Crown and defence counsel.

Five public servants currently work in the Major Case Management Section. They are responsible for data entry and court brief compilation for major cases. Since the establishment of the Major Case Management system, these employees have gained considerable experience and have provided invaluable service to investigators.
Objective: The Major Case Management system seeks to make information management for major cases more efficient and effective. It will enable ‘B’ Division to produce comprehensive electronic disclosure packages. Police agencies have traditionally organized major cases in paper format, requiring significant time and resources. In paper format, information is harder to organize and locate, and pertinent information could be missed or lost. This could result in inadequate disclosure, which is often the basis for court challenges in high-profile cases. The new electronic system reduces that risk.
Outcomes: While a formal evaluation of this system has not taken place, benefits observed to date include the use of civilian staff to process work previously conducted by trained police officers, resulting in savings of officer salary dollars and freeing up of police resources to perform core policing tasks. Considerable savings in labour and material costs have been realized with electronic disclosure. The Major Case Management system facilitates document searches and allows for easier access to information for Crown and defence counsel. The provision of disclosure material in a timely manner has helped to contribute to an expedited judicial process.
Resources: The Major Case Management system required an initial investment of $135,000 in computer hardware and software, training and human resource costs. An additional scanner was purchased and installed at a second location in the province, at an approximate cost of $30,000. The second scanner will increase capacity and allow for better provincial coverage. The five public servants working in Major Case Management are assigned from other areas of the Division.
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Province: Newfoundland and Labrador
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Record Entry Date: 2013-08-01
Date modified: