Latest news with #CivilianReviewComplaintsCommission
CTV News
21-07-2025
- CTV News
RCMP may need to review training involving Indigenous people, B.C. watchdog says
British Columbia's police watchdog says RCMP policy or training may need to change to better respond to calls involving Indigenous people after complaints that police actions were more forceful than necessary. The assessment comes in a report released this month about the suicide of an Indigenous man in Williams Lake, B.C., who died during a standoff with Mounties in July 2022. The Independent Investigations Office report says there was no evidence that racism was a factor, but the man's family and community members raised 'significant concerns' about the level of police response and ongoing discrimination by the Williams Lake RCMP. The report says the case doesn't meet the bar for a charge assessment but it 'raises bigger questions' about how police approached the situation involving an Indigenous person in a mental health crisis. It says a report to police of a man with a loaded gun prompted the emergency response team to attend, 25 officers were involved in the call and had used tear gas to try and draw him out, but he was found dead a short time later. The office's chief civilian director Jessica Berglund says in the report that she'll be referring the file to the RCMP and the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for their assessment on whether changes to policy or training are necessary. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.
National Post
20-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
'Toxic environment' and favouritism plague RCMP watchdog, review finds
An independent assessment of the RCMP watchdog, prompted by an anonymous email from employees, uncovered concerns about favouritism, a lack of transparency, heavy workloads and 'a toxic environment.' Article content The workplace assessment of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP found 'a clear call for change and action at the leadership level to restore credibility and trust within the organization.' Article content Article content The Canadian Press recently obtained a copy of the May 2024 assessment, almost six months after filing an Access to Information request with Public Safety Canada, which ordered the report. Article content Article content The Ottawa-based review commission is an independent agency created by Parliament to ensure public complaints about the conduct of RCMP members are examined fairly and impartially. Article content In a June 2024 note to Public Safety summarizing his findings, Neron said the anonymous email had alleged the review commission was in total disarray because of a lack of leadership from the commission chairperson. Article content Michelaine Lahaie was serving in the role at that time. Article content Neron's summary, heavily redacted before release under the access law, rejected the pointed allegation against the chairperson — a conclusion he reached after interviewing commission employees, including Lahaie, and circulating a detailed questionnaire to staff. Article content Article content Neron found employees generally felt engaged with their work and that most believed leadership treated them fairly and provided constructive feedback. Article content Article content The report says a significant number felt overwhelmed by their workloads, causing stress and making them less satisfied with their jobs. Article content It cites a 'notable communication gap' between the leadership and staff, with many employees saying organizational messaging was too infrequent and lacked clarity and consistency. Article content The report says feedback from employees on methods of resolving conflict was mixed, 'with a distinct portion of the workforce feeling unsupported.' Article content There were also multiple complaints of 'a toxic work environment' due to the behaviour and practices of leadership. Article content 'The staff expresses a strong desire to address and resolve this toxic environment,' the report says. 'They seek an anonymous reporting system to report workplace misconduct, especially involving senior managers.'
