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Difference between revisions of "I Was Harassed or Assaulted by the Police"
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I Was Harassed or Assaulted by the Police (view source)
Revision as of 01:18, 14 December 2011
, 01:18, 14 December 2011no edit summary
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{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}} | {{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}You have two options in dealing with complaints about the police: | ||
You have two options in dealing with complaints about the police: | |||
* use the police complaint process, or | * use the police complaint process, or | ||
* take direct legal action by suing the police in Small Claims Court (or Supreme Court). | * take direct legal action by suing the police in Small Claims Court (or Supreme Court). | ||
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It is important to get legal advice about both these options, particularly suing. This section will focus on how the complaint process works. | It is important to get legal advice about both these options, particularly suing. This section will focus on how the complaint process works. | ||
BC has two separate bodies that accept complaints for police. For municipal forces, the '''Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner (BC)''' oversees complaint investigations. For the RCMP, the '''Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP''' oversees complaint investigations. | Many municipalities in BC are policed by their own police force—for example, the Vancouver Police Department. Most parts of rural BC are policed by the RCMP. BC has two separate bodies that accept complaints for police. For municipal forces, the '''Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner (BC)''' oversees complaint investigations. For the RCMP, the '''Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP''' oversees complaint investigations. | ||
If you know whether the problem you had was with a municipal officer or RCMP officer, | If you know whether the problem you had was with a municipal officer or RCMP officer, it's better to direct your complaint if you can. But if you don't know, don't worry. Both agencies will accept, and forward, complaints to each other to make sure your complaint is investigated. | ||
It's always best to make your complaint directly to one of the two | It's always best to make your complaint directly to one of the two agencies, rather than to a police officer. Complaining to the agency guarantees that your complaint will follow the formal investigation process. | ||
== First steps == | == First steps == | ||