IIO Update April 2014

Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Web Posting
May 1, 2014

New Investigation – Jurisdiction Pending

On April 25, the Nelson Police Department responded to a report of an armed robbery at a local Credit Union.  Officers pursued and located an adult male on a bridge in the Bonnington Dam area.  The male affected person reportedly did not comply with officers’ commands to stop.  He subsequently climbed over the side of the bridge and attempted to climb down a tree, falling approximately 12 metres below.  The affected person sustained serious injuries.  He was taken into custody and transported to hospital for treatment.

The IIO asserted jurisdiction and is actively investigating pending the decision to sustain.  This included deploying IIO investigators to Nelson earlier this week.

New Investigation – Jurisdiction Declined

On April 27, Transit Police were involved in an incident near the Gateway Sky Train Station, in which an officer fired shots at a fleeing vehicle.  The adult male driver of the vehicle was later located and it was determined that he did not sustain any injuries. In the absence of serious injuries, the IIO had no authority to sustain jurisdiction. The Surrey RCMP has taken over the investigation into the incident.

New Investigations – Jurisdiction Sustained

On April 8, an adult female was taken into custody by RCMP officers in Penticton. She was released later that day.  Ten days later, she contacted the RCMP to advise that she had sustained an injury to her arm while in their custody. The RCMP reported the incident to the IIO after confirming the extent of her injury.

On April 14, Vancouver PD officers attended a residence in response to a report of a small child in distress and what appeared to be blood in the area. When police arrived at the scene, they were confronted by a male who according to police, did not respond to their commands to drop a weapon.  The male was shot by officers.  He was subsequently transported to hospital.  At the scene, officers located a female who had sustained fatal injuries.  A child also sustained injuries and was transported to hospital.

On April 29, Vancouver PD officers engaged in a foot pursuit with an adult male who was being chased by a loss prevention officer for an alleged shoplifting incident.  The male affected person sustained a serious injury to his shoulder while being taken into custody and was transported to hospital for treatment.  The VPD reported the incident to the IIO after confirming the extent of his injury.

Investigations into these incidents are presently underway.  The involved police agencies remain responsible for any parallel investigations into the alleged actions of the affected persons.

The IIO and the involved police agencies will work within the terms agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by the Chief Civilian Director and B.C.’s police services in July 2012.   As set by the Chief Civilian Director, the IIO’s goals are to conduct fair, unbiased, timely, thorough and competent investigations, and ensure transparency through public reporting.

Public Reports:

The IIO issued one public report  into an incident involving the Vancouver PD.

https://iiobc.ca/publications/