New handcuffing policy approved by Vancouver Police Board but Indigenous, Black communities not consulted
The Vancouver Police Board approved a new, interim handcuffing policy for the local police department Thursday.
The changes came after an Indigenous man and his 12-year-old granddaughter and a B.C. Supreme Court justice, who is Black, were detained in separate incidents.
In 2019, Maxwell Johnson and his granddaughter were handcuffed after trying to open an account at a downtown Vancouver Bank of Montreal using their government-issued status cards.
"It really hurts us inside what happened to us, being taken out of BMO bank and being handcuffed right on the street," Johnson told CTV News.
And earlier this year, Selwyn Romilly, the first Black person to be named a B.C. Supreme Court justice, was wrongfully detained near English Bay in what police called a case of mistaken identity. At the time, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart said he was "appalled" by the situation.
"Such incidents are unacceptable and cannot continue to happen," Stewart said in a statement.
The new policy, pitched to the board on Thursday, recommended that handcuffs only be used when reasonable, proportionate to the risk, and necessary to fulfil a legitimate policing objective when the officer believes using cuffs is necessary. It also said officers shouldn't handcuff a child who appears to be under the age of 12, unless all other options have been exhausted.
In approving the policy, however, the board reportedly didn't consult with any affected communities, including Johnson or his First Nation. The police board also didn't appear to consult its own advisory committees before recommending the changes.
The chief of the Heiltsuk Nation believes the lack of consultation points to a much larger problem.
"We really, truly believe that there is systemic racism and discrimination within the Vancouver Police Department," Chief Marilyn Slett told CTV News Vancouver.
In Thursday's meeting, some members of the board pushed for consultation before the interim policy is made permanent.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Miljure and Nafeesa Karim
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.
DEVELOPING Israel says Hamas deal is 'far' from meeting its demands as Rafah offensive looms
Israel said the terms of a ceasefire deal Hamas accepted on Monday remained 'far from' meeting its demands and warned its military operations in Rafah would continue, even as it sent negotiators to talk to mediators.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion's biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.