An extensive two-year investigation into policing in northern British Columbia is complete and a report is due to be released to the public in the coming weeks, pending comment from the national police force.
The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP, the civilian watchdog mechanism of the RCMP, launched its investigation in the wake of a troubling report made public by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in February 2013 describing abusive treatment of First Nations women and girls by police officers.
The interim report on policing in northern B.C. has been provided to the RCMP for response, which will be included in the final report, says a commission spokesperson. A final report is expected around 30 days from the date of receipt of the RCMP response.
The commission’s investigation included thousands of files and covered more than 40 RCMP detachments from Kamloops to the province’s northern border.
The commission set out to examine RCMP member conduct relating to policing of public intoxication; the incidence of cross-gender police searches; the handling of missing persons’ reports; the handling of domestic violence reports; use of force; and the handling of files involving youth.
The HRW’s report was compiled through interviews in the summer of 2012 with 50 First Nations women and girls, and an additional 37 interviews with families of murdered and missing women, in communities along Highway 97 and Highway 16.
