Memorandum of Understanding for Homicide Investigations (Synopsis)

Oak Bay Police Department

Description: Given that homicides are uncommon in Oak Bay, the Oak Bay Police Department faces challenges in ensuring that investigators' and officers' skills in homicide investigation are kept up to date. When a homicide does occur in Oak Bay, an investigation can cost over $1 million. To ensure that Oak Bay has the capacity to investigate homicides, the Oak Bay Police Department has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Saanich Police Department whereby the Saanich Police Department investigates any homicides that occur in Oak Bay. This MOU has been in place since 2009.
Objective: The objectives of this MOU are to contain costs for the Oak Bay Police Department and to ensure that homicide investigators with the most current skill set are available to serve the Oak Bay community.
Outcomes: An internal evaluation found that this arrangement is efficient and effective and is meeting its objectives. As a result, the Oak Bay Police Department renewed the MOU for another term. The key benefits of this arrangement have been the containment and predictability of costs in relation to homicide investigations, and access to the skills and best practices of Saanich homicide investigators. In the event of a homicide, Oak Bay is able to maintain adequate staff and resource levels for day-to-day policing operations.
Resources: The Oak Bay Police Department pays an annual fee of $80,000 to the Saanich Police Department in return for homicide investigation coverage. This is a fixed annual cost and does not depend on the number of homicides or on whether a homicide occurs.
Pillars:
Province: British Columbia
Keywords:
Record Entry Date: 2013-08-01
Date modified: