October 27, 2023
Surrey, B.C. — Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President and CEO of the National Police Federation, responding to the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. announcement today filing a report with the B.C. Prosecution Service regarding a 2021 incident in Campbell River.
“We support full and transparent reviews of complaints against Members of the RCMP and these must be thorough, timely, and transparent. The two plus years it has taken to get to this point is unacceptable, creating stress and trauma for our Members, and everyone involved.
Our Members have been the subject of protests, harassment, and unfair and unwarranted speculation about their actions in the media and court of public opinion.
Our Members protect their communities: all residents of their communities. While it’s important to respect the ongoing investigation, the public facts of this incident matter. The subject had an outstanding warrant for their arrest. The police tried to execute that warrant and take him into custody. The subject’s actions included evading police, murdering a Police Service Dog, and injuring a Member of the RCMP. These actions led the officers involved to assess the threat and act accordingly to protect themselves, other Members, and the Campbell River community.
Police react to behaviours that are presented by the individuals they interact with. It’s important to acknowledge that any loss of life is tragic and traumatic for everyone involved, including our Members. No one starts a shift expecting a fatal incident, and our Members are highly trained in de-escalation techniques which resolve the majority of police interactions. In Canada, any use-of-force is exceedingly rare, with an average of nearly three million calls for service annually and less than 1/10th of 1% (0.1%) resulting in any use-of-force.
We stand with all the Members involved and will be monitoring the situation closely.”
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) is the largest police union in Canada, representing ~20,000 Members of the RCMP. We are focused on improving public safety in Canada for our Members and all Canadians by advocating for investment in policing and other related supports and services. This includes calling for required resourcing, equipment, and supports to enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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Media Contact
Sarah Kavanagh
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