BCCLA Boycotts RCMP Complaints Process
The BCCLA is boycotting the RCMP public complaints process where civil remedies in court or other agencies are available. After many years of assisting complainants and launching its own complaints, the BCCLA has concluded that the process is fundamentally flawed and does not work
News release >>
Letter to Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day >>
October 2, 2008
BCCLA Opposes Use of Foreign Police in Canada
The BCCLA has complained that Texas State Troopers were permitted by the RCMP to engage in law enforcement activities as part of an exchange program in British Columbia focused on the drug trade.
News release >>
Commission for Public Complaints report >>
BCCLA letter to Commissioner Elliott >>
August 13, 2008
BCCLA and Pivot Announce New Initiative on Police Complaints
Pivot Legal Society and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association formally announced that they have joined forces to boycott the province-wide police complaints system.
News release >>
July 30, 2008
BCCLA Files Police Complaints Over Policy of Search and Seizure on Canada Day
The BCCLA filed complaints with the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP and the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner regarding the policy of mandatory search for and seizure of alcohol before Canada Day celebrations in Victoria, BC.
Complaint >>
Photo >>
July 8, 2008
BCCLA Decries Secret Consultations
The BCCLA is calling on the Premier to throw out a controversial confidentiality agreement parties are made to sign to participate in the consultation process about proposed amendments to the Police Act.
News release >>
Government confidentiality agreement >>
BCCLA response to Government >>
Solicitor General's response >>
July 3, 2008
BC Supreme Court Releases Decision Concerning Frank Paul Inquiry
A recent decision of the BC Supreme Court held that the Criminal Justice Branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General must provide evidence in the Frank Paul inquiry concerning prosecutors’ decisions not to lay charges in connection with the death of Frank Paul.
News release >>
June 25, 2008
BCCLA Files Complaint Against RCMP After Police Pursuit
The complaint raises concerns regarding the involvement of an unmarked police vehicle in the pursuit of Randall Dennis Girard.
Complaint to Paul Kennedy >>
News Release >>
June 12, 2008
Frank Paul Inquiry
BCCLA's final submission >>
June 4, 2008
BCCLA To Push For Moratorium on Tasers at Braidwood Inquiry
Murray Mollard, Executive Director of the BCCLA will be appear before the Braidwood Inquiry to make a submission calling for a moratorium on the use of Tasers. The BCCLA’s submission will emphasize concerns about civilian oversight of law enforcement and rules for use of Tasers.
News release >>
Submission >>
Taser Correspondence >>
May 23, 2008
Ontario Ombudsman and Lead Investigator to Present on Best Practices for Death-in-Custody Investigations at Frank Paul Inquiry
The BCCLA has arranged for André Marin and Gareth Jones to present at the Frank Paul Inquiry. Mr. Marin is the current Ombudsman for Ontario, Mr. Jones was a lead investigator for the SIU from 1991 to 1998.
News release >>
May 6, 2008
BCCLA Heads to B.C. Supreme Court to Challenge Constitutionality of Provincial "Grow-Op" Legislation
The BCCLA will appear as an intervenor today at the BC Supreme Court in Arkinstall et al v. Surrey et al, a case that involves a challenge to the constitutionality of British Columbia’s Safety Standards Act.
News release >>
April 21, 2008
BCCLA Files Complaints Over SkyTrain Police Taser Use
Incident reports show officers are using the Taser to gain compliance from nonviolent and nonthreatening individuals.
News release >>
Letter to Dirk Ryneveld, Police Complaint Commissioner >>
Translink use of force policy >>
April 16, 2008
RCMP Complaint System Terribly Broken
BCCLA demands new oversight agency.
News release >>
Submission to Paul Kennedy, Chair, Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP >>
April 16, 2008
Kennedy's Income Trust Report Fails to Connect the Dots
The BCCLA is disappointed with the report of Paul Kennedy, Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP into the public disclosure of the RCMP’s income trust criminal investigation during the last federal election. The report fails to connect the dots between his findings of fact and his finding of fault.
News release >>
March 31, 2008
BCCLA Calls for Rules to Prevent RCMP Influence
in Elections
The BCCLA is urging Paul Kennedy, Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP to recommend to the RCMP and Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day rules to ensure that the RCMP does not inappropriately influence elections.
News Release >>
Letter to Paul Kennedy >>
March 10, 2008
BCCLA Calls For RCMP Participation in Dziekanski Inquiry
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association is calling for revision of the Terms of Reference for the “study” Commission of Inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski to include participation by the RCMP’s ‘E’ Division and the municipal detachments of the RCMP.
News release >>
February 19, 2008
BCCLA Files Police Complaint Against Victoria Police
The BCCLA filed a complaint with the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner today over the treatment of 15-year-old Willow Kinloch by the Victoria Police Department. Ms. Kinloch, now 18, has launched a civil suit against the Victoria police after she was left alone in a small padded cell, hancuffed and with her legs tied up, for over four hours. The incident was captured on video.
News release >>
Letter to Dirk Ryneveld, Police Complaint Commissioner >>
January 28, 2008
BCCLA in Federal Court Over Income Trust Investigation
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association is in the Federal Court today in Toronto to challenge the decision of Paul Kennedy, Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, to refuse to review the BCCLA’s second complaint into the RCMP’s handling of the Income Trust matter in fall 2005.
News release >>
January 14, 2008
BCCLA Calls for BC Provincial Police Force
David Brown, the author of the federal task force report on overhauling the RCMP, has recommended fundamental cultural, structural and governance changes of the force, including removing the federal government from direct employer status.
News release >>
December 14, 2007
BCCLA and Pivot Slam Railroaded Decision to Publicly Fund Private Security
The BCCLA, Pivot Legal Society and the West End Residents Association are decrying a last minute process manoeuvre to railroad through a proposal to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of public funds to support an expansion of private security for businesses.
News release >>
December 14, 2007
BCCLA Concerned RCMP Misrepresented Themselves After Death of Robert Dziekanski
The BCCLA today filed a formal complaint against the RCMP for misrepresenting the facts of Robert Dziekanski's death and unreasonably seizing and actively suppressing a video recording of the incident.
Complaint >>
November 13, 2007
BCCLA Calls For Moratorium on Tasers
The BCCLA is calling on the Solicitor General of British Columbia to issue a moratorium on the use of the Taser gun in British Columbia until such time as uniform standards for training, use and accountability are enshrined and enforced in law, and research confirms that the staggering accidental death rate associated with Tasers can be significantly reduced.
News release >>
November 1, 2007
When Police Kill Civilians:
It's Time We Got Straight Answers
Murray Mollard, Special to the Vancouver Sun. On Oct. 14, Robert Dziekanski died at Vancouver International Airport after the RCMP used their Taser guns to subdue him. His flight from Poland had arrived late, and, speaking no English and having no money, Dziekanski became extremely agitated and was destroying furniture. A tragic, isolated incident? Far from it...
Op Ed article >>
October 30, 2007
BCCLA Initiates RCMP Complaint in Dziekanski Death
Letter to Paul Kennedy, Chair Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP.
Letter to Paul Kennedy >>
October 24, 2007
Death-in-Custody Public Forum –
Current Experience, Future Reform
Excerpts from a Speech by Linda Bush >>
October 17, 2007
RCMP Complaint - Ian Bush
BCCLA to proceed with judicial review in Ian Bush death complaint against the RCMP after victory in federal court.
News release >>
September 14, 2007
BCCLA Launches Four Complaints in Police Related Civilian Deaths
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is lodging new complaints in the case of four men who died in August in British Columbia while in police custody or while being pursued by police. These men include Paul Boyd (Vancouver Police Department), Steve Qualtier (RCMP – Penticton), Christopher Tom (RCMP – Tofino) and an unidentified man (RCMP – Fort St. John).
News release >>
September 12, 2007
Surveillance Database By-Law Struck Down
New Westminster by-law requires pawn shops to pass customer information to police.
BCCLA's legal argument >>
Read the court's decision >>
Read summary >>
July 31, 2007
Income Trust Complaint
The BCCLA launches Federal Court action against Paul Kennedy, Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints (CPC) to ensure timely and effective civilian oversight of the RCMP.
News release >>
Notice of Application >>
July 17, 2007
Death in Custody
Timely, independent, civilian led investigations required whenever an individual dies while in the custody of or being pursued by the RCMP.
News release >>
May 25 , 2007
New Security Services Act
Designed to regulate the private security industry—fails to protect the public interest.
News release >>
April 12, 2007
Police Misconduct
BCCLA and Pivot Legal Society call for civilian investigation >>
February 7, 2007
RCMP's Role in Income Trust Scandal
BCCLA calls for public inquiry >>
February 1, 2007
Backgrounder
Audit of police complaints >>
Police Complaints
Review of process in British Columbia by Josiah Wood, Q.C. >>
Report of the Investigative Audit
Review of the Police Complaint Process in British Columbia >>
APPENDIX A >>
APPENDIX B >>
APPENDIX D >>
APPENDIX E >>
APPENDIX F >>
APPENDIX G >>
APPENDIX H >>
Joe Wood's Draft Report on the Police Complaint System in B.C.
BCCLA and Pivot Legal Society respond >>
January 5, 2007
BCCLA calls on RCMP to answer for disclosure of Income Trust investigation
News release >>
July 13, 2006
BCCLA response to Police Complaint Commissioner' proposed reforms to the
police complaint process
Letter to Police Comlaint Commissioner >>
June 13, 2006
BCCLA calls for investigations/hearings into civilian deaths involving RCMP
News release >>
February 14, 2006
BCCLA files RCMP complaint in Ian Bush death
News release >>
November 15, 2005
Vancouver Police Department posts policy manual on their website
News release >>
June 21, 2005
BCCLA calls for independent audit of police internal investigations.
News release >>
April 4, 2005
BCCLA letter challenging the RCMP's decision not to investigate the death of Kevin St. Arnaud.
News release >>
March 2005
Proposal for Audit of Internal Investigation Process Municipal Police Complaint Process:
Priorities for Reform >>
March 2005
BCCLA set to react to VPD decision regarding Stanley Park assaults at press conference
News release >>
Janurary 27, 2004
Civil liberties group argues for democratic accountability of police undercover operation
News release >>
June 18, 2001
BCCLA argues that RCMP violated Rule of Law at APEC
News release >>
June 29, 2000
BCCLA reaffirms support for public inquiry into RCMP conduct at APEC.
News release >>
February 29, 2000
BCCLA pleased with investigation into police drug crackdown
Calls for greater scrutiny of police use of force and detention powers.
News release >>
October, 29, 1999
BCCLA urges speedy resumption of APEC hearings.
News release >>
December 3, 1998
BCCLA challenges parties at APEC hearings to put up or shut up.
News release>>
November 4, 1998
BCCLA dismayed by decision not to fund APEC protestors
News release >>
September 1, 1998
BCCLA demands funding for APEC complainants
News release >>
August 27, 1998
APEC protester sues RCMP and Prime Minister's office
News release >>
December 9, 1997
BCCLA calls for public inquiry into RCMP actions against APEC protesters on UBC campus
News release >>
December 9, 1997
BCCLA supports new police complaint process
News release >>
May 1, 1997
Public inquiry finds citizen assaulted by police officer
News release >>
September 25, 1996
