Police watchdog orders review after retired Black judge detained, handcuffed in Vancouver

British Columbia’s Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner has ordered a review into the erroneous detention and handcuffing of a retired B.C. Supreme Court Judge.

Selwyn Romilly, the first Black person appointed to B.C.’s superior court, was stopped by officers who were looking for a dark-skinned suspect half his age on May 14.

Romilly was released shortly afterward and the officers involved, Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer and Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart all apologized.

2:59 Vancouver mayor apologizes to retired Black B.C. judge wrongly handcuffed by police

The OPCC says Romilly did not file a complaint about the incident, but that third parties did.

Those complaints have been forwarded to the Vancouver Police Board as a service and policy complaint.

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The board must now determine how to respond.

The OPCC says it will be monitoring the review and can also make recommendations.

2:01 Vancouver police chief apologized to retired judge over handcuffing