Police Accountability
The BCCLA provides assistance to anyone making a complaint against the police. We guide complainants through the complaint process by providing information about complaint procedures, reviewing and commenting on draft letters of complaint and in some cases, attending interviews by police investigators.
The BCCLA will make police complaints in our own name to promote police accountability in particular cases. For example, the BCCLA was a complainant in 1997 at the public hearing into the conduct of the RCMP during the APEC summit in Vancouver. More recently, we have been making complaints whenever a civilian dies while in the custody of, or being pursued by, the RCMP.
The BCCLA advocates for the reform of the police complaint system for both the RCMP and municipal police forces in B.C. The Association is recognized for its expertise and experience in this area. For example, we have made major submissions to the Oppal Inquiry (1994) and the Wood Review (2007) which have recommended changes to the B.C. Police Act's police complaint provisions.
The BCCLA will go to court to promote the principle of police accountability. For example, the BCCLA has sought a judicial review of the decision of the Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP for permitting the RCMP to terminate our complaint into the death of Ian Bush in 2005 without an investigation.
Criminally charged RCMP officer represents force at conference
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is expressing concern that an RCMP officer who took a laptop was immediately removed from service and had to turn in his badge and gun, while an officer involved in a shooting gave a presentation to a Nanaimo community group on behalf of the RCMP in October, 2011, just five months after being charged with aggravated assault in relation to that incident.
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February 2, 2012
BCCLA questions CPC independence, openness after Willey video removed
The BCCLA is questioning the independence and transparency of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP after a video of a controversial death in custody was removed from the internet. The BCCLA has reposted the video here, after obtaining a copy.
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February 1, 2012
BCCLA police accountability book delivered to BC’s new police accountability agency head
Robert Holmes, Q.C. and David Eby of the BCCLA hand delivered seven copies of the BCCLA’s new book Police-Involved Deaths: The Need for Reform to the head of B.C.’s new police investigation body, the Independent Investigation Office.
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January 30, 2012
BCCLA congratulates RCMP for ending partnership with rogue police force
The BCCLA is congratulating the RCMP for suspending a partnership with an American police department currently being sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Justice. The partnership with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office involved “drug recognition expert” training for Canadian police officers.
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January 29, 2012
Federal Government and RCMP complaints body must take off-duty police misconduct seriously
The BCCLA is calling for a shake-up at the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP after the second shocking revelation about the oversight agency in the last two months. The latest development comes via notice that the CPC refuses to accept so-called “off duty” complaints involving RCMP officers.
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January 24, 2012
BCCLA posts information on filing railway police complaints
The BCCLA has made publicly available information it has received through an Access to Information request about the process of filing a complaint concerning railway police conduct.
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December 20, 2011
Father of Alvin Wright writes open letter to head of new police agency
The father of Alvin Wright has written an open letter to Richard Rosenthal, the head of the new Independent Investigation Office.
He has requested that the BCCLA forward this letter to the media on his behalf. Alvin Wright was shot and killed by the RCMP in Langley, B.C.
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December 8, 2011
BCCLA says RCMP watchdog must stop “cutting and running”
The BCCLA is disappointed by the evasive response of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP to a complaint filed by the BCCLA about the RCMP withholding sensitive files for more than a year.
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December 2, 2011
BCCLA files complaint against senior RCMP officers for concealing files
The BCCLA has filed a complaint against the most senior members of the RCMP for undermining the RCMP complaints process in the most serious and sensitive investigations of the force.
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December 1, 2011
A year after BCCLA discovers RCMP audit, submissions due on B.C. government efforts to keep it secret
A year to the day after the BCCLA first issued a press release announcing a secret audit done by the B.C. government of the RCMP, submissions are due in an inquiry into the government’s refusal to release the document. At the request of the BCCLA, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner is investigating the continuing refusal of the provincial government to release the file. The BCCLA’s original FOI request for the document took place in October of 2010.
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November 23, 2011
An embarrassing anniversary arrives for a broken RCMP complaint system
November 23 is the second anniversary of B.C.’s Solicitor General filing a complaint with the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (“CPC”) in relation to the 2003 death of Clayton Alvin Willey. At the time of the complaint, the Solicitor General called the investigation into the details of Willey’s death a matter of “confidence in the RCMP.” Two years later, the investigation by the CPC has not been completed.
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November 21, 2011
BCCLA calls for Feds to fund retired judge to look into RCMP harassment
The BCCLA is calling on the Federal Government to fund a retired judge to look into complaints of harassment within the RCMP, and to set tight timelines for reporting back. The RCMP asked for an investigation of itself and how it treats female civilian and police employees following high profile sexual harassment allegations made last week.
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November 17, 2011
BCCLA files complaint after RCMP Detachment Head comments
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is filing a complaint after the head of the Langley RCMP made comments that could interfere with the independent review of the police shooting death of Alvin Wright. Wright, who had no criminal record, and no history of violence, was alleged by the head of the Langley RCMP detachment of attempting to attack a police officer with a knife.
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November 4, 2011
BCCLA congratulates RCMP, VPD and OPCC for MacGyver-like oversight
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is congratulating the RCMP, Vancouver Police and the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner for pulling together an informal review process in relation to the police shooting of Alvin Wright.
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November 3, 2011
BCCLA demands equality for residents of RCMP cities
The BCCLA is demanding that the provincial government provide equality in oversight for residents who live in cities policed by the RCMP after a recent no-charge decision in the shooting of Alvin Wright.
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November 3, 2011
Williams Lake mom alleges RCMP assault on handcuffed daughter
The BCCLA is again calling for an independent investigation after allegations against Williams Lake RCMP by local indigenous family. The mother of 17-year-old Jamie Haller says that her daughter was punched in the face by a local RCMP constable while handcuffed in the back of a police car after her daughter had called local RCMP for assistance.
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September 27, 2011
Inquiry’s secret applications, secret discussions with police must end
The BCCLA is demanding the end of secret applications for standing and secret discussions between police, government and staff of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry.
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September 26, 2011
BCCLA files second complaint after Jackson Inquiry testimony
The BCCLA has filed a second complaint based on testimony given at the Rodney Jackson inquest. The complaint details concerns about Jackson being shot in the back, deficiencies in the RMCP investigation of itself, and the poorly planned ERT operation that led to Jackson’s death.
Read the BCCLA’s second complaint
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September 22, 2011
Young people are not criminals, BCCLA reminds VPD
The BCCLA has written the Vancouver Police Department reminding it that young people are not criminals. Immediately after the Stanley Cup riot in Vancouver, the mayor and police chief were reported as putting blame where it belonged, saying: “We had a small number of hooligans, basically, on the streets of Vancouver causing problems.” More recently, in the wake of reports criticizing the deployment of adequate resources to that event, Vancouver’s Police Chief has suggested a ban on all major events that attract young people ought to be considered.
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September 7, 2011
RCMP author of Taser e-mail now advising BC on police accountability
The BCCLA has confirmed that the police officer whose e-mail brought the Robert Dziekanski inquiry to a halt for months is now advising the provincial government on the formation of B.C.’s new police accountability body. Dick Bent, along with another senior RCMP officer Russ Nash, has been hired on a contract that will pay him as much as $70,000 over six months (including expenses) to “make recommendations on a strategic and operational framework” for the new Independent Investigation Office.
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September 2, 2011
RCMP audit has not been disclosed to Cabinet
The BCCLA has been notified by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner that the audit of B.C.’s RCMP has not been given to Cabinet or to the Treasury Board, despite the fact that these bodies are on the verge of signing another 20 year agreement with the force.
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August 25, 2011
BCCLA congratulates RCMP on revision to dog training policy
The BCCLA is thanking the RCMP for implementing a national policy that clarifies the rights and obligations of the force when conducting police dog training. The BCCLA supported local residents in Lantzville after Nanaimo RCMP used their backyards as part of a training exercise, allegedly without permission. Officers from the Nanaimo RCMP then made public statements that appeared to misstate Canadian law in relation to private property.
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August 12, 2011
Groups call for removal of police advisors from inquiry
The BCCLA and Pivot Legal Society are calling for the removal of three Peel Regional Police officers who are advising the Missing Women’s Commission of Inquiry. News agencies have reported that some members of the Peel Regional Police force are currently being investigated by the RCMP. The organizations are of the view that for the commission to bring the Peel police officers on board as advisers puts in question the commission’s independence and impartiality.
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August 11, 2011
Dates announced for Terrace, Smithers, Fort St. James, Prince George
The BCCLA will be visiting several northern communities to present the findings of their Small Town Justice report on the RCMP. The report was compiled last summer and included information about what communities most appreciated and were most concerned about in relation to the national force.
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July 12, 2011
B.C. Prosecutors: Pliers in waistband excuse police from lethal force charge
Pliers in a man’s waistband have now joined Robert Dziekanski’s infamous stapler as “weapons” that B.C. prosecutors may rely upon to excuse police officers from being charged and tried for using lethal force. The startling assertion is contained in a letter sent to the BCCLA by the head of the criminal justice branch in BC.
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June 22, 2011
RCMP must get permission before training dogs in backyards
The BCCLA says that RCMP officers must get permission before training dogs or officers in people’s private backyards. The Association has filed a complaint after reports of misstatements of the law by RCMP officers in Nanaimo concerning their rights to enter public property without a warrant for training purposes.
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June 21, 2011
BCCLA congratulates VPD on restraint last night
The BCCLA is congratulating the Vancouver Police Department for their restrained and responsible reaction to last night’s riot in downtown Vancouver. Among other points, the BCCLA noted that the VPD refrained from mass arrests and “kettling”, use of the MRAD sonic gun, and used tear gas and pepper spray in moderation.
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June 16, 2011
BCCLA welcomes end of police self investigation in B.C.
The BCCLA welcomed the news that the provincial government would be announcing long-delayed legislation ending the system of police self investigation in B.C. The legislation is expected this afternoon.
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May 17, 2011
More than eight out of every ten BC adults in police database
The BCCLA has discovered that as many as 85% of British Columbia’s adult population have “master name records” in the PRIME-BC police database. This database is used by police to prepare criminal record checks, including the controversial “negative police contact” section of those checks that can restrict access to jobs or volunteer opportunities. The BCCLA has written the Solicitor General to ask her to investigate.
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Mar 22, 2011
BCCLA opposes privatizing police services
The BCCLA is extremely concerned that a new proposal to amend citizen’s arrest rights in Canada opens the door to privatized 911 services. The provision would allow a property owner or someone they appoint to arrest someone within a “reasonable” time following the commission of an alleged offence.
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Feb 17, 2011
BCCLA reinvestigation demand results in Chief’s discipline
The BCCLA’s support of a complainant in Victoria has resulted in discipline of Victoria’s police chief by their police board.
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Feb 14, 2011
BCCLA welcomes change in RCMP tune about policing report
Following the RCMP’s senior public relations officer questioning the accuracy and usefulness of the BCCLA’s most recent report on the force, senior management of the RCMP have now told the BCCLA and the public that they will be taking the report seriously and investigating trends and allegations in the report.
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Feb 10, 2011
RCMP response to report why public lacks confidence
After a week to review the BCCLA’s report on RCMP activities in rural and northern communities, the RCMP has issued a press release announcing that it is dismissing the report and any changes in policy that could be drawn from it.
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Feb 9, 2011
BCCLA releases “Small Town Justice” report on the RCMP in northern B.C.
The BCCLA has released a report it says is a “temperature taking” of the public mood around the RCMP in 14 rural and northern B.C. communities. Reports of the good, like beat policing, and the bad, like allegations of systemic rights violations against youth, aboriginal people, and the homeless, are documented in the over 100 page report.
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Feb 9, 2011
BCCLA supports family request for 911 audio tape
The BCCLA is supporting a complaint by Mark and Rosemarie Surakka that the RCMP are improperly withholding an audio recording of a 911 call the couple already has a transcript of. The 911 call includes conversation between RCMP Constable Mike White and 911 dispatcher Theresa Ness.
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Feb 7, 2011
BCCLA Files Complaint Against Media Relations Officers Involved in Buddy Tavares Incident
RCMP spokespersons released unsupported allegations that Buddy Tavares, who was recorded on video being kicked in the head by an RCMP officer, was involved in a "domestic violence situation".
Complaint letter >>
Jan 24, 2011
