Calls for consistency in British Columbia in street checks following police watchdog report | The Canadian News

A man’s complaint about being detained and asked if he was “Abdul” by two officers in New Westminster, BC, has sparked a call for consistency across the province in street checks by the LA Police Board. town.

The alleged actions of the officers in July 2020 and the follow-up of the case by the New Westminster Police Board were included as part of a key recommendation in the recent annual report of the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner.

Street checks must be consistent with best cultural safety practices and address the needs of racialized and indigenous people who may come into contact with New Westminster police, Commissioner Clayton Pecknold said in his report, which was submitted to the legislature. .

Street controls are defined as any voluntary interaction between a police officer and a person that is more than casual conversation and that impedes the person’s movement.

“The complainant felt they were racially profiled and believed that the police detained them because of their race,” says Pecknold’s report.

The New Westminster Police Board, which initially reviewed the complaint, deemed it an “unfortunate incident,” which did not constitute a street check under policy, “but rather an investigative arrest, based on an honest belief. but erroneous that the complainant was a person liable to be arrested for criminal offenses, “he said.

The Police Complaints Commissioner’s Office said a retired provincial court judge was appointed to review the case and found that the officers did not commit any misconduct.

The police department’s street control policies were revised in December 2019 in accordance with provincial police standard, and all front-line officers received mandatory training before they went into effect in January 2020, according to the report.

After the man requested that the complaints commissioner review the police board’s decision, the commissioner said the board would benefit from a review of its street review policies by “an independent consultant, expert or organization. of the New Westminster Police Department and the police in general. “

In its response to Pecknold, the board said it would prefer that the Public Security Ministry take the lead in the street checks given its involvement in the matter and the need for consistency across the province.

The New Westminster Police Department said it was “aligned” with the police board’s position on the need for consistency across the province in street checks.

The BC Police Complaints Commission is an independent civil office of the legislature that oversees and monitors complaints and investigations involving the municipal police. The office is responsible for administering discipline and procedures under the Police Law.

Veronica Martisius from the BC Civil Liberties Association helped the man file the complaint against the New Westminster department.

Statistics have shown that street controls disproportionately affect indigenous people, blacks or people of color, Martisius said.

“We have been calling for a ban on street controls for quite some time.”

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, who was not available for an interview, said in a statement that ensuring police provide services fairly and impartially is crucial to maintaining public trust.

“A recent review on control activities in the streets highlights the need for a broader look at police policies and practices related to controls in the streets, and in response to this, my ministry will assess compliance with the regulations that govern police arrests across the province, ”Farnworth said.

“While conducting this audit, my ministry will also work to identify and report if further amendments to police regulations are needed.”

Pecknold said each police department is required to have a policy that is consistent with the provincial standard for street controls.

“So what I’m interested in learning is what arises from the review and evaluation of the Ministry of Public Security’s compliance with that provincial police standard,” he said in an interview.

Recommendations made by his office are not binding, he noted.

“I will say that, in general, they listen and respond. But they don’t necessarily always agree with our recommendations, ”Pecknold said.

“The provincial government in general is quite receptive to our recommendations and will act on them.”

One of the most important recommendations his office made in recent years was that the Vancouver Police Department review its search policy on the streets, Pecknold said.

An audit conducted by a consulting firm and submitted to the Vancouver board earlier this year found that the number of street checks had decreased by 94 percent between January and December of last year compared to the same time period in 2019. .

The department’s new policy, which took effect in January 2020, says that street checks cannot be “random, arbitrary, biased, or based solely on identity factors such as, but not limited to, race or ethnicity.” said the police audit.