IIO Issues Statement Regarding Delays and Staffing

INFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release

Surrey, B.C. – The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is issuing an update regarding staffing levels and investigative delays.

Approximately one year after acknowledging “unacceptable” delays associated with investigation 2017-083, the IIO has seen improvements in timeliness and investigator retention.

“While in the first few years after I arrived at the IIO we were able to show greatly improved timelines in our investigations, an almost doubling of our case load, together with our inability to attract and retain enough qualified and experienced investigators to fully and properly staff the IIO led to longer investigative timeframes and suffering morale,” said Ronald J. MacDonald, KC, Chief Civilian Director of the IIO.

“After calling for changes to both the IIO funding level and compensation model for an extended period, to address these issues, last year government responded positively with increased resourcing and additional funding. The IIO has been able to increase investigator staffing and improve the competitiveness of our salaries. We are now better positioned to hire and retain the best people to do this essential job. As a result, the IIO is now almost fully staffed. While we still have work to do, these changes have helped to significantly improve the staffing situation at the IIO.”

The IIO continues to work to fill its remaining vacancies to reach full staffing levels.

Our overall attrition in 2023 was 6% compared to 16% in 2022, and specifically in the Investigator group, the 2023 attrition was 6% compared to 27% in 2022.

“IIO investigators work diligently every day to carry out the vital work of independent police oversight on behalf of the people of British Columbia. We applaud the provincial government for recognizing that importance and for responding by increasing the IIO’s resources and salaries to help ease the struggle that comes with the intense demands of this work,” MacDonald continued.

“Despite some remaining vacancies, we are no longer at crisis staffing levels, and we have moved to a four-team investigator on-call model. This helps reduce the toll the job takes on them personally, ensuring their well-being and allowing the IIO to continue delivering fair and thorough investigations to the standard required in a timely fashion that British Columbians both expect and deserve from our office.”

Background

The IIO is the Independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.