Vancouver police report back on allegation of arrest quotas on Downtown Eastside

CTV News

6 hours ago

Arrest quotas are not in place as part of a crime crackdown on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside but 'performance measures do exist,' according to a report presented to the police board.
In March, a complaint from someone identifying as an officer with the Vancouver Police Department alleged that 'arbitrary' quotas for daily drug arrests were being set as part of 'Task Force Barrage.'
A heavily redacted version of the complaint was published, and it refers to an email from 'management' sent that 'set an expectation that each team working there would arrest (redacted) on drug charges.'
The complainant was concerned that this would undermine officers' discretion, saying 'I don't think this is legal or right.'
B.C.'s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner ordered the board to take action, which it did by asking for an internally produced report.
Supt. Matt Hardy drafted the report and presented the findings at last Thursday's meeting.
In it, he acknowledged the email the complaint referenced did exist, and did include specific numbers.
'Ideally, we'd like 2-3 drug arrests and charges a day,' the email said, according to the report.
When the task force launched and beat officers were being trained, 'there was no available performance measure as to what a reasonable arrest and charge goal would be for a shift,' according to Harty's report.
'The Staff Sgt. is setting a performance measure the purpose of which is educating everyone as to what a reasonable outcome would be during a shift.'
A performance measure is 'aspirational' whereas a quota is mandatory and attached to consequences – both positive and negative – for employees, Harty told the board when presenting his report.
'The VPD does not set open or hidden quotas. The VPD does set performance measures…Quotas are rigid and have formal and informal employee rewards and punishments attached potentially leading to significant ethical issues and possible police deviance,' he said.
'Quotas also negatively impact marginalized communities through disproportionate enforcement.'
Officers deployed as part of Task Force Barrage – like all officers – are still expected to use their discretion, Harty continued.
'The bottom line is that the VPD expects all members to only arrest and recommend charges when they have reasonable grounds based on lawful authority and have taken everything into consideration for each set of unique circumstances – while being mindful of proportionality and using diversion where appropriate,' he told the board.
Keeping those criteria in mind, officers 'should arrest and recommend charges for as many drug traffickers as they can within each shift,' Harty continued, referring to the work of the task force which he said targets 'mid-to-high level' traffickers and not drug users.
None of the board had any questions for Harty, and the recommendation to conclude the complaint passed unanimously.
In addition to Harty's report, the meeting package contained a letter from University of British Columbia law professor Benjamin Perrin. In it, he urges the board to order an external review of the complaint.
'Given the well-documented tendency of police leadership to deny quota systems while they operate informally within departments, and considering the particular vulnerability of the Downtown Eastside community—especially its Indigenous residents—a thorough and vigorous independent investigation is essential to determine the truth and restore public confidence,' he wrote.
'Simply put, the police investigating themselves is insufficient.'
Perrin's letter was referenced at the meeting but not discussed, and the board said the professor will be advised of the outcome.