Independent Reviewer appointed to assess events surrounding tragic overdose death
UVic has appointed independent reviewer Bob Rich, an accomplished lawyer and highly decorated former Abbotsford Police Chief, to assess the events surrounding the tragic overdose death of UVic student Sidney McIntyre-Starko.
At President Kevin Hall’s request, Rich will lead an incident analysis and develop recommendations to strengthen campus safety at UVic as the university navigates the province’s toxic-drug crisis.
Bob Rich is accomplished and respected. His dedication to public service has seen him recognized provincially and federally. I have complete confidence that he will lead a comprehensive review and deliver a report and recommendations that will make our campus safer for everyone.
Rich served as Abbotsford Police Chief from 2008 until his retirement in 2018. Since retiring, he returned to re-qualify as lawyer in BC and continues to champion mental-health supports for first responders—a cause close to his heart.
His years of experience with external reviews and on the front lines of BC’s toxic-drug crisis make him uniquely qualified to examine the university’s actions, and his recommendations, along with those from other investigations and reviews of this matter, will provide a clear path for UVic to address all actions surrounding the tragic death of Sidney.
The UVic Board of Governors is pleased Mr. Rich has agreed to lead an independent review into Sidney’s tragic death, and we expect his review will make the UVic campus and community safer.
Rich’s appointment as a third-party reviewer reflects the importance of a thorough and transparent assessment of this incident.
This review is in addition to the coroner’s investigation and complements the work the provincial steering committee is undertaking to review existing policies, identify gaps and recommend best practices in overdose prevention and response at all of B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions.