Complaints Up Against P.G. Detachment of the RCMP
By 250 News
Monday, March 21, 2011 04:08 AM
Prince George, B.C.- The number of complaints against the members of the RCMP detachment in Prince George, was up in 2010. The rough numbers from the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP show there were 52 complaints laid against local detachment members last year. Each complaint may contain more than one allegation, the total allegations, at 111, far surpassed the number of allegations made in 2009.
It’s difficult to pinpoint just how many of the complaints laid involve different cases. Prince George detachment Superintendent Brenda Butterworth-Carr says there is an increasing incidence of third party complaints where people are lodging a complaint on behalf of someone else “ So even if there’s an incident which involves a direct contact between a person and a policing agency, what I’ve seen more of, are third party complaints. So we might actually get a complaint from the original person then a third party complaint from someone else. I’ve seen a few of those happen over the last year and a bit, specifically in Prince George. In speaking to Professional Standards (department within the RCMP), that certainly is happening in other detachments as well.” So while the number of complaints filed may be up, there may be several complaints tied to one incident.
She says she is aware of three complaints where other parties have stepped forward and multiple allegations have been made in connection with those three complaints.
Overall, Superintendent Butterworth-Carr, says the numbers are indicative of what is being seen at most detachments “I attribute that to a couple of things, the first being that, there’s a lot more media attention to complaints, so people are feeling more comfortable coming forward and knowing that there are different ways to make a complaint. They can make them internally through the detachment or they can make them through the CPC (Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP). I think part of it also is that, certainly in our interactions with the public, there is more of a recognition of being held accountable and that transparency when people feel that there’s been a wrong, then obviously they feel comfortable coming forward and saying we want to make sure this is resolved.”
|
Allegations
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
|
|
A - Improper Attitude
|
11
|
8
|
17
|
17
|
|
B- Improper Use of Force
|
4
|
5
|
10
|
18
|
|
C- Improper Use of Firearms
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
D- Irregularity in Procedure
|
4
|
3
|
6
|
8
|
|
E-Driving Irregularity
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
F- Neglect of Duty
|
14
|
14
|
15
|
24
|
|
G -Statutory Offences
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
|
H- Mishandling of Property
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
|
I- Irregularity – evidence
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
J- Oppressive Conduct
|
8
|
2
|
2
|
8
|
|
K-Improper Arrest
|
4
|
2
|
5
|
6
|
|
L-Improper person/vehicle search
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
0
|
|
M-Improper Search of residence
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
|
N-Policy
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
O-Equipment
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
P-Service
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
7
|
|
Q -Other
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
TOTAL
|
57
|
40
|
64
|
111
|
Butterworth –Carr says the local detachment tries to resolve the complaints informally, and their work so far, has shown a large portion of the complaints have been unfounded or they have been resolved informally. “We certainly have some that are still outstanding. For 2010, (of the completed investigations) the results to date are that we have at least 50% that have been either resolved informally or found to be unsupported.”
Prince George, is not the worst in “E” Division when it comes to complaints about improper use of force. That distinction belongs to Surrey which saw 21 complaints of improper use of force levelled against RCMP officers there.
Prince George is tied with Kelowna for allegations of improper use of force, with each detachment facing 18.
Throughout the province, there were a total of 249 allegations of improper use of force levelled against RCMP in B.C. in 2010. To put that perspective, there are more than 6,500 RCMP members serving in B.C..
Superintendent Butterworth-Carr says Prince George detachment members are having more contact with the public, she says while members are encouraged to get the investigation done in a timely manner, it should not be lost that there needs to be time spent with the complainant, or the victim, so they know they are being looked after. “Some of the things, I’m seeing, the quick response, the quick dealing, on to the next file. We need to be mindful of saying, slow it down just enough so that we make sure we get all our information and our initial contact with the public is positive.”
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Posted by: pgguru on March 21 2011 7:33 AM