B.C. solicitor general and attorney general Michael de Jong has said that his office is “absolutely” going to consider expanding the mandate of the proposed Independent Investigation Office.

“We are in the process, as you know, of drafting the legislation necessary to establish the Independent Investigation Office, which at this point, would be utilized in cases of deaths and serious injury,” de Jong said in a teleconference today (October 6). “What the chief [the Vancouver Police Department's Jim Chu] has spoken about today is the potential opportunity for rolling the Police Complaints Commissioner process into that completely independent process. And I think what he is responding to, as well, is some of the ongoing questions about the need for absolute independence in both the accounts and complaints and investigative process.”

Earlier in the day, Chu issued a statement that said he does not believe the civilian-led model for investigating serious complaints against the RCMP and municipal police forces in B.C. “goes far enough to eliminate the perception of police bias when investigating their own”.

“I strongly urge the government to consider expanding the mandate of this proposed agency to handle all complaints against police, not just in-custody deaths or serious injury,” read Chu’s statement.

It continued, “Chief Chu would like to see the IIO investigate the full range of allegations that currently fall under the Police Act and which have civilian oversight from the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC).”

Pressed in the teleconference on when the public will know whether or not the Liberal government accepts Chu’s recommendations, de Jong responded: “We’ve been in direct communication and discussions with the Vancouver Police Department. I know there are other police departments in the province that will want to provide their views and I will make those views known publicly, as well, because what we need to arrive at is an approach that works for everyone. But like Chief Chu, I think the further we go along the path of an independently authority, ultimately, the greater confidence there will be.”

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