Judge to investigate police complaint process
A retired judge has been appointed by the provincial government to investigate the handling of complaints against the Vancouver Police Department and other municipal police forces in B.C.
- FROM JUNE 2, 2005: Police watchdog recommends audit of Vancouver force
Police Complaints Commissioner Dirk Ryneveld recently released a report highly critical of the VPD, accusing some officers of not co-operating with an external RCMP investigation.
He suggested the solicitor general appoint a retired judge to conduct an independent audit of the department.
Solicitor General Rich Coleman has now done just that, appointing retired Alberta judge Ben Casson – saying he wants to ensure the public has confidence in the police complaints process.
Coleman had earlier said that no action was necessary, since his ministry already conducts regular audits of police departments.
But now, having read Ryneveld's report, Coleman has decided to act.
"We hadn't audited this kind of process for a period of time. When I went back and looked at it and said, 'Let's go do it." I think we should do it. I think it's something that once we know that it's there and it's a concern, we deal with it."
The judge's appointment follows a prolonged controversy over allegations by the Pivot Legal Society of police abuse of residents of the city's Downtown Eastside.
The RCMP was called in to carry out an independent investigation, and found that nine of them had some validity.
But Chief Graham launched his own internal inquiry, decided there was no basis to the findings and dismissed them.
- FROM MARCH 31, 2005: Chief slams critics, says report clears police
Ryneveld said Graham tried to "thwart the purpose of an external investigation" by conducting his own inquiry.
Casson will start work next month and complete his final report by the end of February.
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