Little progress on Police Act reforms 3 years in, critics say

Three years after an all-party report gave provincial leaders recommendations to transform policing in British Columbia, critics say progress has stalled, with many critical steps yet to be taken.

The Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act was appointed in 2020 to initiate reforms related to modernizing the police, addressing systemic racism, and its impact on mental health and addiction. It followed the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the ensuing movement to examine systemic racism in policing.

"Over the last 15 months, it has become clear that transformative change is required to achieve a new vision of policing and community safety rooted in decolonization, anti-racism, community, and accountability," said the final report from the special committee on April 28, 2022.

The 11 recommendations included calls for First Nations to have control over police governance in their communities, the creation of a provincial police force, the formation of a new approach to mental health calls, and the establishment of an all-party standing committee to oversee the implementation of the report's changes.

"Very little progress has been made with respect to the Police Act amendments to make sure that we have a contemporary police service … it's kind of dropped off the forefront," said former B.C. solicitor general Kash Heed.

"It's a massive challenge, and you've got to have the will to do it. The policymakers do not have the will to do it."

The impact of this prolonged inaction, according to First Nations leaders and former politicians, is significant: continued issues with systemic racism in policing, higher costs, and challenges with transparency and governance.

Timeline for provincial police service unclear

Garry Begg, the minister of public safety and solicitor general for British Columbia, who served on the committee, says the province intends to implement all of the recommendations — but could not provide a timeline.

"Things have changed pretty dramatically, and the progress that we've seen is quite remarkable," said Begg, who answers the critics by pointing to changes to policing in tone, mindset, and consultation with First Nations communities.

"I think it's an evolution, not a revolution," said Begg. 

"It is something that requires gradual change and requires a tremendous amount of legal work that is always done behind the scenes, but I'm satisfied that we're making progress that puts us where we should be."

Tiffany Parton, the executive director of the B.C Association of Chiefs of Police, declined an interview for this story, saying she is bound by a non-disclosure agreement.

Parton said she has been working with the Ministry of Public Safety in response to the report, but is "unsure of what the future holds in relation to a provincial police force," one of the report's major recommendations.

Delays come at cost to community, critics say

In April 2024, B.C. passed Bill 17, the Police Amendment Act, which made changes to police governance and oversight, largely affecting police boards and municipalities, including requirements for police boards to create a code of conduct and updated procedures for handling complaints.

However, Adam Olsen, the former MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, who also served on the committee, says he feels the changes are "transactional," and represent the priorities of the Ministry of Public Safety, not what the committee heard the public wanted.

Olsen says he has been disappointed to see little progress on many of the recommendations. For instance, he says B.C. is no closer to having a provincial police service or the co-ordination of mental health services with 911 emergency responses.

He says the cost of these delays has made public safety a political football in the legislature.

"My patience is thin because the thing that we discussed as a committee is being effective at diminishing the politicization of public safety," Olsen said. "What have we seen over the last year and a half? Total politicization of public safety."

Cloy-e-iis (Judith Sayers), the president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, says she and other board members of the B.C. First Nations Justice Council were surprised when Bill 17 was announced last year, as they hadn't been consulted.

She says the legislation doesn't recognize First Nations' traditional laws, and categorizes First Nations policing as designated units, not a full police force. 

She says she would like to see some action on independent oversight by First Nations over policing in their communities.

"We're not seeing the action that we need. We're not seeing changes," Sayers said. "We keep on seeing shootings of First Nations people by police, and it hasn't stopped."

Heed says that at this point, he believes it will take a significant amount of public pressure or another catalyst like George Floyd's murder to spark politicians to enact the widespread changes that have been called for.

"I'm not optimistic that it's going to happen in the next decade or so," he said.

'However, you would think we'd have a government that would be creative enough to deliver the service to the community in a very accountable, effective and efficient way."