Firearms Investigative & Enforcement Services Directorate

Supt. Geoffrey Francis

Presentation to:MANITOBA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE

May 13th, 2009

C/Supt. Geoffrey Francis

Inspector Jim Cunningham

Firearms Investigations & Enforcement Services

Directorate

• National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST)

• Canadian National Firearms Tracing Centre (CNFTC)

• Firearms Operations & Enforcement Support Unit (FOES)

• Specialized Firearms Support Services (SFSS)

• Crown Attorney Program (CAP)

Mandate

The Firearms Investigative & EnforcementServices Directorate was established tosupport front-line law enforcement insuccessfully prosecuting persons involved inthe illegal movement and criminal use offirearms.

Deployment of Resources

Yukon

British

Columbia

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Alberta

Ontario Quebec

New

Brunswick

PEI Nova

Scotia

Newfoundland

Northwest

Territory

Vancouver

Ottawa

Montreal

HalifaxMississauga

The current Advisory Board members include:

Chief Frank Beazley (Halifax Regional Police Service)

Inspecteur-Chef Gilles Martin (Sûreté du Québec)

Chief Mike Metcalfe (Peel Regional Police Service)

D/Chief William Naughton (Victoria Police Department)

Chief Superintendent Dick Bent (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)

FIESD Advisory Board

Gilles Martin

Dick Bent

Mike Metcalfe

Frank Beazley

William Naughton

Services

24/7 Investigative Support Line

The FIESD 1-866-920-0553 Investigative support line continues to beutilized by law enforcement agencies throughout the country. This tollfree support provides 24/7 access to FIESD personnel and resources.

Agencies assisted via the support line included Federal, Provincial andMunicipal Police Services. In addition other law enforcementorganizations such as CBSA, IBET, and local Gun and Gang units havebenefited from this resource.

Investigative support and assistance

FIESD personnel are available to provide assistance throughoutall stages of a firearms investigation. This can include thepreparation of an “information to obtain a search warrant” aswell as the warrant itself. Furthermore members can and willassist with the execution of the warrant, search of the location,seizure, identification and organization of exhibits andsubsequent preparation for court proceedings.

Firearms Identification

Experience gained through constant exposure to firearms relatedinvestigations allow FIESD members to assist front line personnelin identifying and classifying various suspect firearms. In additionthrough the utilization and distribution of the FRT (FirearmsReference Table), FIESD trains other agencies to better identifyfirearms themselves.

Expert advice and witnesses

FIESD Officers provide expert evidence to law enforcement agenciesand crown attorneys in relation to various firearms issues. They areavailable for court preparation and testimony, as well as projectplanning and execution. In cases where FIESD itself does not containthe required expertise, it will liaison with its partner agencies tosecure the required resources.

Access to specialized databases

Through the Integrated nature of this units composition and thepartnerships it has developed with its law enforcement and justicepartners, FIESD is able to access many specialized databases whichare of assistance to firearms investigators. Systems such as CFIS,PAFR, INSITES, RWRS, IWETS, BATFE NTC & CGAB, EPIC, CIBIN, andthe Suspect Gun Database are an example of some of theseresources.

Illicit firearms pricing information

FIESD also maintains records on “street prices” for various illicit firearmspurchased throughout Canada. Although prices vary due to supply and demand,geographic location and supply sources, this information is of significant use toinvestigators conducting undercover operations. As well, since a number offirearms offences are now designated “enterprise crime”, these price guides canassist crown attorneys and investigators in determining profits obtained throughthe criminal importation and distribution of illicit firearms.

Firearms Case law Database

FIESD Operations in Mississauga is constantly researching and distributing relevantfirearms case law to investigators in the field. In addition FIESD is working withvarious crown attorney offices throughout the country to develop a network ofcrown attorneys that will be specializing in firearms investigations. As ofSeptember 2008 the database contained over 1100 case related items in 110subcategories. The system continues to grow.

Training, lectures, aids, materials

One of FIESD greatest successes has been its ongoing contribution totraining across Canada. There are three levels of training that FSSDconducts. The first is the front-line training conducted by FSSD officersacross the country. This is generally in the nature of lectures to uniformofficers and specialized units on topics such as public safety seizures,evidentiary seizures, firearms identification, and the tracing of firearms.

In addition FIESD has developed CTS (Course Training Standards) for twoadditional subjects; Preparation of Firearms Search Warrants and theIdentification of Armed Persons. Both these courses are in demand andFIESD is in the process of developing additional officers who will be ableto deliver the courses.

FIESD also hosts one International Firearms Trafficking Conference peryear. These events usually draw law enforcement participants from theUnited States and Canada. However in recent years participants havecome from as far away as South Africa, Bosnia, St Vincent, Japan andChina.

Internet Monitoring

FIESD also monitors the Internet on a part-time basis. Sufficient resources are notcurrently available to allow a full time monitoring capability. However in the last 2years143 pieces of information have been forwarded to various law enforcementagencies throughout Canada and the United States that have been deemedappropriate for further investigation.

In one case, agents with the BATFE, acting on our referral, were able to shutdown an operation that was supplying 80% pre-assembled guns to the Canadianmarket while identifying them as “non guns”. In another case an employee of aRegional Police Service, with ready access to the firearms vault, was transferredwhen FIESD was able to identify through a website that he posed a threat to thesecurity of the agencies firearms.

FIESD also assists other agencies that have developed intelligence on individualswishing to illegally purchase firearms over the Internet. In two cases in QuebecFIESD officers have conducted “reverse sting” operations to arrest and prosecutethese individuals.

Tracing of Illicit Firearms

On April 1st, 2005 the National Firearms Tracing Program wastransferred from the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) to theNational Weapons Enforcement Support Team. The new service, knownas the Canadian National Firearms Tracing Centre (CNFTC) assists all lawenforcement agencies throughout Canada in tracing illegal firearms.

The CNFTC facilitate the timely tracing of illicit firearms and ensuresthat the requesting agencies are given the required assistance tofurther their investigations.

In addition, in 2006 the CNFTC established protocols with the US BATFE(Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), which allowseach agency to exchange Trace information electronically. This hasresulted in a decreased error rate in tracing submissions and asignificant improvement in the time required to receive trace results.

Firearms Operations & Enforcement Support Unit (FOES)

The objective of FOES is to provide accurate and timely short/long term analytical enforcement support to front-line law enforcement units across Canada with regards to firearms investigations/operations.

Project Management: Liaison with partner agencies to further joint initiatives and joint forces projects across the country.

Role of the FOES Unit:

•Manage flow of information from disparate sources and transform it into actionable products.•Deliver accurate/concise data interpretation based on factual & relevant data.•Draw objective conclusions and judgments from the data provided•Make recommendations if/when necessary

FSSD has recently expanded the FOES Unit to include two positions in Ontario.One in the TPS Guns and Gang Unit and the second positioned at CISO/PWEU.Additional expansion is planned in Vancouver, British Columbia, Montreal,Quebec, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Crown Attorney Program (CAP)

National Prosecutor Training Program

National Judicial Information Program

Firearm Prosecutor Network

Law Enforcement Training

Firearm Training Manual

Legal advice to Prosecutors & Law Enforcement

International Training

The FIESD Crown Attorney Program (CAP) is a joint endeavor between the Ontario Crown Attorney’s Office and the Canadian Firearms Program. The Mandate of the program is to enhance prosecution of Firearms related offences through education, coordination, and networking.

Firearms Reference TableSpecialized Firearms Support Services (SFSS)

Firearm Record

presents a thorough firearm description in one screen, complete with the current legal classification and supported with the appropriate legal authority.

the sources and references used to supply this data is maintained to ensure integrity of the information.

• Digital images are linked to firearm records.

• one full view of each side of the firearm and close ups of pertinent markings.

• Images of firearm markings and logos are linked to Makes and Manufacturers through the Glossary.

Images

Mobile Services Delivery Vehicle (MSDV)

(MSDV) CLIENT SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

• on-site identification and examination of firearms and ammunition

• destruction and disposal of firearms as authorized by the client

• destruction and disposal of ammunition as authorized by the client

• real-time updating of information contained in National firearms registries and other data banks to ensure accuracy and reliability

• test-fire all firearms prior to destruction for purposes of providing the Canadian Integrated Ballistic Identification Network (CIBIN) with expended bullets and cartridge cases to be searched and/or added to the CIBIN system for investigative reference

• provide (Firearms) Certificates of Analysis pursuant to Section 117 of the Criminal Code if required and/or deemed necessary by the client

INTEGRATION

FIESD has a high degree of representation from municipal, provincial and federal law enforcement agencies.

21 of 55 Positions are Non-RCMPMunicipal NWEST Members (15)Provincial NWEST Members (5)Other Federal (1)

Total number of Non-RCMP Agencies21 Agencies

Planned Increases: 47

Total Strength: 102

Possible 10 additional Non-RCMP Agencies

Current Police Agency Representation

•Calgary P.S.•Cape Breton Police Service•CBSA•Charlottetown City Police•Edmonton PS•Halifax Regional Police •Lethbridge PS •Ministry of Attorney General Province of Ontario•Module mixte d’enquête sur le trafic d’armes à feu,de munitions et d’explosifs

•Montréal City Police•Peel Regional PS•Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit/CISO•Regina Police Service•Royal Canadian Mounted Police•Royal Newfoundland Constabulary•Saanich P.S.•Saint John Police Force•Saskatoon PS•Sûreté du Québec •Toronto Police Service•Vancouver Police Dept. •Winnipeg Police Service

FIESDMonthly Activity

Summary

Statistics

Trends and Patterns

Cases of Interest

Moving Forward

Bill C-301 (Analysis)

Bill S-5 (Analysis)

Public Agents Firearm Regulations

Close Gap in Tracing of Illicit Firearms

Close Gap in Ballistic Submissions

Interdicted Firearm Shipments entering the Country

Current Issues

Increased Efficiencies to Support our Role within ICCUF

Re-Alignment within the new Canadian Firearms ProgramReinvest Savings from Administration to OperationsIncreased NWEST ResourcesIncreased SFSS Service LineIncreased Firearms Tracing CapacityIncreased Training CapacityIncreased FOES ResourcesCreation of a National Crown Attorney Prosecution NetworkCreation of the MSDV ProgramAnalysis of Public Agents Firearms Regulations Data

Working within the ICCUF Partnership to develop an intelligence-led national enforcement strategy.

Production of National Information Sharing Documents TAU Report, Montlhy Report, ACCIS submissions, etc.Assist with inventories of Evidence/Property Storage to assist agencies and develop intelligenceParticipation in International Forums such as the UN, OAS, CARRICOM, etc that have an impact on firearm enforcement issues Assistance to First Nations Policing Agencies in developing inventory and audit controls on their firearm storage and reporting requirements in order to develop enforcement and analytical informationProviding ongoing consultations to Government to assist them in making informed decisions on firearms enforcement and regulatory matters Assistance to law enforcement on preparation and execution of Public Safety warrants

QUESTIONS ?

C/Supt. Geoffrey Francis

Director, Firearm Investigative & Enforcement Services Directorate

RCMP/Policing Support Services

1450 Meyerside Drive, Suite 415

Mississauga, Ontario

Canada

L5T 2N5

Office: 905-795-5205

Fax: 905-795-5224 Cell: 519-242-0023

Email: geoffrey.francis@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

C/Surint. Geoffrey Francis

La Direction des services d’enquête et d’application de la loi en matière d’armes à feu

GRC/Soutien aux services de police

1450 Meyerside Drive, Suite 415

Mississauga, Ontario

Canada

L5T 2N5

Office: 905-795-5205

Fax: 905-795-5224 Cell: 519-242-0023

Email: geoffrey.francis@rcmp-grc.gc.ca