Naming the dead: Saskatoon Police say releasing names of homicide victims evaluated case-by-case

Saskatoon Police say they'll continue to respect the wishes of families who do not want the name of a murdered loved one made public.

The police do not have a hard and fast policy on the issue and evaluate each case on its merits, said spokesperson Julie Clark.

She said police will typically release a victim's name if it does not interfere with an ongoing investigation and the family does not oppose it.

Clark said police give great weight to the wishes of family. She did not say what criteria investigators measure a request against, other than a family making a request,

"Oftentimes it's a difficult time for family, it's a very grief-filled time, so if they don't want their loved ones name released into the public eye, we will respect that," she said in an interview.

"I think continuing down the road of judging each case with all the different factors coming into play is I think the best practice at this time for the Saskatoon Police Service."

Regina announcement draws ire

The Regina Police Service came under fire earlier this year when it announced it wouldn't automatically name homicide victims going forward.

The police backed off on that plan, however, until it got an opinion from the province's privacy commissioner. The matter is also being reviewed by the Board of Police Commissioners, which is expected to provide its view next week.

Saskatoon defence lawyer Kevin Hill says not publicly naming murder victims could backfire for police because it may cut off investigative avenues.

"Not publishing the name of somebody bears a lot of risk," he said.

"The risk that's involved is losing some critical pieces of information that might go to solving the situation, both proving somebody's guilt but also potentially proving somebody's innocence. If you don't publish the name of somebody there are bits of information, pieces of evidence, that become stale, or never are acquired."

Hill also said that, typically, a victim's name will emerge during the court process. Police holding off the release may just be "delaying the inevitable."