VANCOUVER -- Vancouver police are providing some insight into their involvement regarding the enforcement of sweeping new travel restrictions set to take effect this Friday.
After receiving multiple inquiries, VPD posted on Twitter Wednesday saying it is not conducting random checks for compliance with travel restrictions.
Police say they also haven't seen any specific details regarding the pending restrictions and that they will review them as soon as they become available.
Mike Farnworth, minister of public safety and the solicitor general clarified on Tuesday that the province doesn't want random checks.
He said the checks would be set up at locations like ferry terminals or along major highways leading out of Metro Vancouver to discourage recreational travel, but that there would be no random, individual stops.
On Wednesday, Farnworth announced that Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health will be treated as one health authority amid the upcoming new travel restrictions.
It comes just a day after a civil rights lawyer spoke out on police having the power to conduct COVID-19 road blocks in order to deter people from crossing health region boundaries.
"Currently police do not have the legal authority to ask questions like 'Where are you going, where are you coming from, for what purpose,'" said lawyer Hasha Walia, the executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.
It's a concern that was echoed by others, including criminal lawyer Kyla Lee.
"I don’t view this as very effective at all, because we are working on the honour system. So (if) somebody says 'I’m travelling for work,' do you have to prove that with additional documentation?," she asked.
The union representing 20,000 RCMP members also says it's disappointed about the province’s proposed participation in enforcing a COVID-19 ban on non-essential travel outside of B.C.
In a statement released Wednesday, the National Police Federation (NPF) said it rejects the pending travel ban enforcement order.
"Since the official announcement of these travel restrictions, the National Police Federation has been hearing loud and clear from a growing number of RCMP members asking us to oppose this proposed Order," the statement from NPF president Brian Sauvé reads.
"In addition to shouldering an already heavy and increasing workload, participating in enforcement "roadblocks" puts even greater pressure on limited resources and puts our members at further risk of exposure and possible infection."
Sauvé adds that the NPF is also working toward building on its relationships with more vulnerable and racialized communities.
"The ambiguity and potentially negative impacts of these Orders risk reversing this progress," the statement continues.
"We hope that all parties support our RCMP members towards the sustainability of stable and consistent policing across the province."
With files from CTV Vancouver's Shannon Paterson.
