Expanded jurisdiction, more files for police complaints office: annual report
VICTORIA — British Columbia’s police complaint commissioner says 2015-16 was the busiest year ever for the body that provides impartial civilian oversight of complaints by the public involving municipal police.
The organization’s annual report shows 1,230 files were opened over the year, just slightly ahead of the 1,210 files started in 2012-13.
Only 50 files eventually resulted in disciplinary measures, ranging from reprimands to suspensions
Commissioner Stan Lowe says in the report that the increase is mainly due to a jump in the number of so-called monitor files, often high-profile cases that can involve reportable injuries but where a decision hasn’t been made on a formal investigation.