IIO Appeal for Witnesses in Vancouver Motor Vehicle Incident (2017-136)
Case: 2017-136 Incident Date: October 26, 2017 Agency: Municipal Location: Vancouver Detachment: Vancouver Police Department Incident Classification: Serious Harm Case Status: Closed - With Public Report INFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey – The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is seeking witnesses to a motor vehicle incident involving the Vancouver Police Department.
According to VPD, at approximately 1:15 a.m. on October 26th, 2017, a collision occurred between police vehicles and civilian vehicles near the intersection of E57th Avenue and Windsor Street in South Vancouver.
Occupants of one of the civilian vehicles sustained injuries, and the IIO was subsequently notified by police.
The IIO is asking anyone who saw, heard or may have CCTV footage of the incident to contact the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477. If you have previously provided this information to police, the IIO is requesting that you also contact the witness line.
No further information or updates will be released at this time.
Background:
• The IIO is an independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death. It does not require any allegation of wrongdoing.
• In the initial stages of an investigation, the IIO must determine if there is a connection between the serious harm or death and the actions or inactions of police. If there is a connection then the IIO will continue to investigate.
• If there is no connection between police action or inaction and the serious harm or death then the IIO will release jurisdiction.
• When the IIO proceeds with an investigation, these investigations end in one of two ways: If the Chief Civilian Director (CCD) of the IIO concludes that an officer may have committed any offence then the CCD will refer this case to Crown counsel for consideration of charges. The IIO does not lay charges.
• If the CCD concludes that no officer may have committed any offence then a public report will be released on the IIO’s website at www.iiobc.ca. These public reports give an in-depth look at the case and explain the CCD’s rationale for not referring the case to Crown counsel.
Ron MacDonald
Chief Civilian Director
info@iiobc.ca