IN THE RIGHT HANDS
New legislation in Nova Scotia will prohibit the sale of marked police vehicles and restrict the possession of police vehicle decals and police vehicle equipment to authorized individuals.
The Police Identity Management Act will come into effect May 12, 2022.
The legislation will restrict possession of police items to only those authorized to have them, mainly police officers. The new law will require police agencies in the province to have asset management and disposal policies in place for uniforms, badges, police vehicles, decals and vehicle equipment. This includes a requirement for all retired police vehicles to be decommissioned, with the removal of all equipment, decals and other markings. “The dates of April 18 and 19, 2020, will stay in our collective memory for many years to come,” said Brad Johns, Minister of Justice and Attorney General. “By strengthening our laws around the use of police vehicles, uniform and other articles, we are taking steps to help prevent such tragic events from happening again.”
Penalties for individuals contravening the act are a fine of up to $10,000 or three months in jail. A corporation found guilty of an offence faces a maximum fine of $25,000. Police can also issue summary offence tickets for violations of the act.
