B.C. set to stop police from investigating themselves

The provincial government introduced legislation Tuesday that will create an independent, civilian-led office responsible for investigating all serious and fatal incidents involving B.C. police officers.

Bill 12 comes almost a year after retired judge Thomas Braidwood published his damning report into the fatal RCMP handling of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport.

If passed, the bill, which follows key recommendations found in Braidwood’s report, will see the creation of the Independent Investigations Office, which will be led by a civilian who has never served as a police officer.

"It is critical that British Columbians have confidence in our police and that the police are accountable to them," said Premier Christy Clark. "This legislation is a historic step for policing in B.C. and will strengthen public faith."

The bill, introduced by Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor-General Shirley Bond, was met with praise from David Eby, the executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, who said the tabling of such legislation is a longtime coming.

He said the biggest test of the new office is whether or not the police forces being investigated are co-operative and whether or not it receives adequate funding from the province.

"I think it shows that the years of advocacy that our organization and many others have done on ending police selfinvestigation has finally been heard," said Eby, who just last week was battling the premier for a seat in the legislature.

"I think it will help restore public confidence in police if the body is set up in the right way, that is, if it is truly independent of police."

The office will have the power to investigate members of the RCMP and municipal detachments, will report to the attorney-general and have investigators with the status equivalent to that of other police officers, according to a government release. There will also be a civilian monitor who has access to all the information of the investigation and who can raise concerns to the director about the integrity of any investigation.

The office’s director will be allowed to hire ex-police officers as long as they haven’t worked as cops in B.C. within the past five years. The ultimate goal, however, is to have a staff composed entirely of people who have never worked as police officers or as members of a police agency.

Clark said the government is still looking into where the office will be located, its budget and its staffing requirements, although it is expected to be operational by the end of the year.