I'll be as quick as possible.
First I'd like to provide a few details on our policy development process and then comment on a few recent developments in relation to our conducted energy weapon program.
The RCMP's operational policy section has developed one of the most comprehensive policy development processes for use by the RCMP. It includes approximately 30 steps from start to finish. Our process has been identified by a number of external and internal stakeholders as a best practice, including the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP.
The presentation on our policy development process is approximately an hour and a half long. For this reason, we do not have time for a full presentation on the process. However, I would like to highlight some of its attributes.
Some of the attributes of this process include a needs analysis; a risk assessment; environmental scans; an examination of industry standards; and comprehensive consultation, including consultation of national and international experts on a regular basis. For example, while drafting our new excited delirium syndrome policy, international experts from the mental health community were consulted. A feedback process is also included, as well as a communications strategy.
I would now like to provide information on some recent developments in our conducted energy weapon program. In August 2007, the RCMP enhanced its conducted energy weapon policy by adding information on excited delirium syndrome, including reporting processes, data downloading, volunteer exposures, and deployment after care. We are currently working on a stand-alone excited delirium policy, which will further enhance this area.
In November 2007, the RCMP completed a review of CEW and excited delirium syndrome. This report was completed by Sergeant Bruce Stuart of the RCMP and Chris Lawrence of the Ontario Police College. This report was forwarded to the Minister of Public Safety, as requested.
Recently, the RCMP completed a draft framework for our CEW report, covering the periods between 2001 and 2007. We anticipate that the report will be completed by June 2008. The RCMP has completed a draft of our CEW quarterly report, in line with the recommendations made on our interim report by the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP. Since December 2007, the RCMP has been monitoring, at a national level, all incoming CEW reports as and when they occur. This adds another level of accountability and shows consistency in terms of application.
The RCMP has appointed a national use-of-force manager as well as a national use-of-force coordinator and is augmenting resources to create a stand-alone unit dedicated to the use of force. The RCMP's use-of-force coordinator, Bruce Stuart, is involved in the conducted energy weapon study currently being undertaken by the Canadian Police Research Centre. This study has been labelled the most independent scientifically and medically based study ever undertaken on the subject of CEWs.
We're working on assembling an independent group to review the RCMP's CEW training, policy, and accountability. To further enhance our accountability, one of our divisions has piloted the attachment of the CEW report to one of our record management systems. This will allow immediate access to the report by supervisory and criminal operation sections for review.
On January 22, 2008, the RCMP drafted a unit level quality assurance form, an audit tool that will assist district and detachment commanders to ensure that the use of CEWs complies with policy.
On January 23, 2008, the British Columbia use-of-force coordinator, Joel Johnston, and I, the RCMP use-of-force manager, made a presentation to an FPT group consisting of deputy ministers and assistant deputy ministers from the Department of Justice and Public Safety Canada on the topic of CEWs and the use of force in general.
Now I'd like to turn the floor over to Sergeant Stuart, if I may, Chair.