Independent Investigations Office report recommends provincial review

An all-party committee reviewing B.C.'s civilian-led police investigation agency, the Independent Investigations Office, is calling for a provincial review following internal complaints and high staff turnover.

The special committee, which was formed last year to examine the IIO, issued a report Monday calling for the Justice Ministry to closely review human resources practices at the office.

The committee put forward a total of seven recommendations, including even more reviews.

"A lot of the folks have complained about the management style," said Mike Morris, the Liberal chair of the legislative committee, told CBC News. 

"We have identified there are human resources issues that need to be rectified."

Morris recommends the Justice Ministry report back in a year about how it has addressed the office's human resources issues.

HR issues, internal harassment

The IIO was founded in 2012 to investigate cases in which people are seriously injured or killed by police officers.

But the organization has been plagued by HR problems and some employees have complained about internal harassment, which has led to high employee turnover.

Monday's report also recommends relaxing rules that prevent police officers who have been out of law enforcement for fewer than five years from being appointed as investigators.

However, NDP critic Mike Farnworth is not confident of a speedy internal review.

"Changes to the Police Act were promised before 2015 and the fact is nothing has happened, so you are going to see even more of a delay and I predict even more than a year."