OTTAWA - An internal review found records were "missing or incomplete" for almost half of cases in which newly armed Canadian border agents drew their guns.
And border officers in one region were completely unaware they had to send reports to headquarters on incidents involving force, including use of weapons such as pepper spray and batons.
"This may result in information on incidents not being reviewed, incomplete data on the use of force and no followup or investigation taken to address serious concerns," says the Canada Border Services Agency audit completed in October.
"Therefore, the agency may not analyze breaches of policy and ensure corrective action is taken when systemic problems become evident."
The lapses were among early growing pains cited in the report on the agency's ongoing initiative to arm border officers.
While the auditors found "reasonable progress had been made" in putting the program's building blocks in place, there was also room for improvement on setting use-of-force policies, training staff, assessing the various risks, and tracking ammunition and spare firearms.
The audit made several recommendations for improvement and spelled out plans by the border services agency to deal with the glitches over the next two years.
Border officers have been provided in recent years with handcuffs, pepper spray, batons, protective vests and use-of-force training to help them enforce the law.
Three years ago the Conservative government announced a 10-year plan to train and equip 4,800 officers to carry firearms -- an initiative long rejected as unnecessary by the Liberals. Almost 500 officers were instructed in gun use from July 2007 through last June.
The review was done to nip any problems with the controversial program in the bud.
The auditors looked at 23 incidents from July 2007 to April 2008 -- 10 involving guns and 13 randomly selected events concerning general use of force. Of the firearm incidents, six files contained the necessary documentation. In the other four cases, review reports were missing or documentation had not been signed by the officers involved.
The audit also found the border agency's procedures were vague on what officers "are permitted to do, expected to do or prohibited from doing" in situations involving use of pepper spray and batons. "Management advised that detailed guidance on administering general use of force would be provided in training packages that are being developed."
Tracie LeBlanc, a spokeswoman for the border services agency, said that whenever officers use force the agency reviews the matter and confirms if standards and protocols were followed and identifies any discrepancies and required actions.
LeBlanc added that border officers are "well aware of situations in which force may be used, and are trained in the proper use and application of force."
In each of the 23 cases in which officers used force, proper procedures were followed during the actual incidents, the audit says.
Though employees have pulled guns from their holsters, none has fired one on duty, said Ron Moran, national president of the Customs Excise Union, which represents border officers.
Moran said he was generally pleased with the arming program's implementation, and took issue with the notion that use-of-force training was lacking.
But Moran said he was surprised the audit didn't mention that officers took firearm training at congested ranges in Ottawa and Chilliwack, B.C.
It means officers are sometimes on the ranges at 2 or 3 a.m. after being in class all day, he said. "It's just an accident waiting to happen."
The audit says there was initial confusion over whether officers were required to wear their guns during meal and rest breaks, as well as whether employees on extended leave could keep their firearms.
The auditors also found a need to prepare officers who don't carry guns for situations when they find themselves caught up in the middle of altercations between colleagues with firearms and members of the public.
Delays in entering data about training and inventory, along with "problems regarding user friendliness," meant regional branches of the border agency were bypassing the central computer system and setting up their own databases -- a wasteful duplication of effort.
The border agency has developed and is now using a national information system that provides access to timely, comprehensive arming data, LeBlanc said.
The report also reveals a full assessment of risks associated with the arming initiative won't be complete until April.
