March 29, 2024

Head of IIO says progress is good at six-week mark

The civilian group that investigates serious incidents involving police in B.C. has been up and running for six weeks now.

Members from the independent investigations office have been dispatched to five cases so far – two of them fatal – from Prince George to Vancouver to Creston.

The man in charge, Richard Rosenthal, says the group is still brand-new, but doing well.

“The timelines are still very aggressive, but the reality is that we’re still going with months instead of years and years instead of months.”

He says they even have a few extra resources right now to spend on the cases that need it.

The office had been criticized during its first case in Prince George, when it used RCMP cars.

Rosenthal says there may be times when using police transport, for example, instead of commercial transport, is faster for them to get to the scene.

“There were just no rental cars we could find within the first day and a half. And under those circumstances, it is within my expectations – you know, I don’t expect our people driving marked vehicles, but if the RCMP has some extra available vehicles so that we can get to the scene and get there timely, then that’s what we need to do.”

He says the IIO will at times have to collaborate with police for resources, seeing as he has only 36 investigators.

CKNW Vancouver News

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