The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association is calling for the creation of a BC provincial police force following the release of an independent report on structural problems within the RCMP. David Brown, the author of the federal task force report on overhauling the RCMP, has recommended fundamental cultural, structural and governance changes of the force, including removing the federal government from direct employer status.

The BCCLA lauds the report for its extensive investigation into the malaise that has plagued the RCMP and especially welcomes the call for the RCMP to “shed its cloak of secrecy”. But the call for a revisioning of the RCMP should not start and end at the federal level. The RCMP act as the provincial police in British Columbia and this critical restructuring point for the RCMP is the time to seriously examine the RCMP’s role provincially and improve on the model.

Jason Gratl, President of the BCCLA: “The Brown Report suggests deep and broad problems with human resources and financial management, management oversight and contract policing. In our view, the solution is to build from within British Columbia – the answer to our provincial policing problems will not be found in Ottawa.”

The BCCLA has been an advocate of creating a uniform system of police accountability between the RCMP and municipal police forces.