'Dramatic' increase in investigations putting pressure on B.C.'s police watchdog

Members of the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) talk at a scene in Vancouver on Thursday April 9, 2015. The IIO leads investigations into officer-related incidents of death or serious harm in British Columbia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C.'s police watchdog says it's seen a dramatic increase in investigations in recent years, leading to more pressure for its short-staffed team.

Ron MacDonald, chief civilian director for the Independent Investigations Office, told CTV News Vancouver the last three years have seen more investigations than the two years prior. In fiscal years ending in 2018 and 2019, there were about 120 investigations total. But in the last three years, the average increased to about 200.

"So our numbers have increased by about 75, 80 per cent," MacDonald said.

So far this fiscal year, which began on April 1, about 50 investigations have been opened. MacDonald said that number isn't far off from last year.

MacDonald explained an investigation automatically begins whenever police are involved in an incident that may have led to serious harm or death of an individual. Most often, the incidents are reported to the IIO directly from the police agency that was involved.

"What's happening is there are more of these incidents. Why that is? I can't really answer that question. Our data doesn't really allow us to explain why this is happening, it just is," MacDonald said.

"Whether the first two years of the last five years were an anomaly and the last three where it's almost 200 a year is what's to be expected, I don't know. What I do know is that our numbers have increased dramatically and it has put a lot of pressure on our office."

Many of the IIO's files still find the officers' actions were justified, MacDonald said, but if there's an increase in the number of charges being considered by B.C. Prosecution Service as a result of the team's investigation, he can't say why.

On Thursday, the IIO announced it was forwarding a report for charges to be considered following a 2021 police-involved shooting in Chilliwack. Just days before that, charges were approved against two other officers in unrelated incidents by the BCPS, though at least one of those charges didn't stem from an IIO investigation. 

MacDonald said his team has faced increasing pressure in recent years because, along with the bigger workload, there have been fewer staff members, which he said is "due to the times."

"Lots of businesses are having trouble retaining individuals and we are as well," he said.

"Right now we're operating on about two-thirds of our front-line investigator load than we should be."

The IIO's current staffing capacity is for 30 investigators, but MacDonald said the team only has about 20 right now.

Even with the staffing shortage, the IIO still works to ensure the necessary initial steps of an investigation are completed in a timely matter, like collecting physical evidence and speaking to witnesses.

"But the follow up to that is going to take longer," MacDonald said. 

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Spencer Harwood