Ombudsperson: Complaints process gaps in BC's Police Act must be filled by legislative committee

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Monday COVID-19 update

COVID-19 cases counts spiked in the Island Health region over the weekend, with 99 new cases reported since Friday. 63 are on the Central Island, 13 in the south and 23 in the north. 16 people are in hospital and one Islander, a member of the Cowichan Tribes has died. So far in the pandemic, 24 islanders have died from COVID-19.

Vaccination delayed for Cowichan Tribes

Meanwhile, the Cowichan Tribes has been forced to delay a planned vaccination clinic because of a shortage of Pfizer vaccine. The Director of the Ts'ewulhtun Health Centre says 600 Cowichan Tribes members were scheduled to receive their second dose of vaccine at clinics that were supposed to begin today. Derek Thompson says that plan changed over the weekend when Island Health informed the community its vaccine shipment was delayed.

"It's disappointing but we also understand our community, like every nation and municipality across the province, are in the same queue awaiting the vaccine and like many nations and municipalities across the province we know that that time frame is going to shift here and there are we are ready to respond accordingly."
—Derek Thompson, Director of the Ts'ewulhtun Health Centre.

Thompson says the clinics have been postponed for two weeks until March the 8th. He says that's how long it will take to reschedule those receiving the vaccine and the availability of those who will administer them.

Gaps in complaints process allows no recourse against IIO or civilian employees of RCMP

BC’s Ombudsperson says people who feel mistreated by guards at RCMP lockups or by BC's Independent Investigations Office have no formal recourse to make a complaint. Jay Chalke says his office is not allowed to investigate any complaints against police officers' conduct, however, there are agencies that do. But he says there is no process at all for people who want to file complaints against civilian employees who work for the RCMP, including guards at holding cells in RCMP detachments. Chalke urged a legislative committee that's examining BC's Police Act to fill that gap.

"This gap concerns the most significant intervention the state can make in an individual's life: the deprivation of their liberty. The circumstances and issues here implicate fundamental human rights and international law."
—BC’s Ombudsperson Jay Chalke.

Chalke says people detained under the mental health act also have no recourse to complain, nor does anyone who is unhappy with how BC's Independent Investigations Office has handled investigations into police-involved injuries and deaths.

"I want to point out that there is no independent investigation of the complaints process set out in the regulation, and therefore no public accountability for how complaints are handled."
—BC’s Ombudsperson Jay Chalke.

Chalke says BC's Solicitor General has acknowledged the gaps but so far, has not offered any legislative or regulatory changes.