A review of the policing structure is underway and is in response to the mass shooing in our province in 2020.

Efforts to find a consultant to do the work started on Friday.

The selected consultant will work closely with a police review advisory committee, which will include people from equity-deserving groups, the provincial government, police agencies and subject matter experts.

Justice Minister Brad Johns says it’s important to make sure policing services are effective and structured in a way that best serves our communities.

It took about 30 minutes for the first group of police officers to arrive in Portipique after a 911 call reported the shootings in the small community. In the aftermath, it was became clear they did not have the proper tools, such as night vision goggles.

The final report stemming from the Portipique Inquiry recommended a multi-sectoral council be established to review the structure of policing in Nova Scotia and make recommendations that can be implemented before the 2032 expiration of the Provincial Police Services Agreement.

The are currently 11 police agencies in Nova Scotia, including municipal police forces and RCMP.