Progress report on Halifax police street checks kept secret

A University of Toronto criminologist gave an update Thursday on his review of street checks by Halifax Regional Police.

However, Scot Wortley's progress report to the Halifax Board Police of Commissioners was delivered out of public view.

A CBC News investigation used police records to calculate that black people in Halifax were three times more likely to be street checked than whites.

Wortley was subsequently hired by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission in Septemberto study the issue.

"The commission felt at the beginning that it was a conversation to be held in private, so that's what we did," said commission chair Steve Craig.

He said the board had a "good conversation" with Wortleyabout "where he is, where he's going and the timing."

Wortleyhas conducted surveys and held meetings with the public and police, Craig said.

The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission says the final report will be delivered in January.

Wortley saidhe has a lot of work to do before then.

"There's some extensive writing and additional analysis that needs to be conducted," he said.