Halifax police audit finds drugs and money held as evidence can't be located

Halifax Regional Police released an internal audit Thursday that found widespread record-keeping problemsrelated to its handling ofdrugs, money and other materials the force holdsas evidence in criminal cases.

The audit was ordered after the province's Serious Incident Response Teamcharged a Halifax Regional Police officer with breach of trust and obstruction of justice.

The charges against Const. Laurence Gary Basso were recently stayed by the Crown. Prosecutors have up to a year from that suspension to restore the charges against him.

The audit found evidence continuity reports are often missing important details and are rarely accurate.

It also found 90 per centof exhibits in one drug vault weren't where police records said they were supposed to be. A subsequent review still found 52 per centof exhibits couldn't be located.

In another drug vault, the initial audit showed 24 per centof exhibits weren't where they were supposed to be.

In the money vault, 55 per centof the exhibits weren't where they were supposed to be after the initial audit. That figure improved to 12 per centin a review conducted last month.

In a statement this morning, police said finding the missing exhibits and improving procedures are now priorities.