“We write in respect of the above-captioned matter to request a review of the handling and final result of a service and policy complaint made to the Vancouver Police Board (the “Board”) pursuant to s 168 of the Police Act, RSBC 1996, c 367 (the “Act”). This complaint was made on 18 September 2024 by the BC Civil Liberties Association (“BCCLA”) and Pivot Legal Society (“Pivot”) in respect of surveillance and overpolicing by the Vancouver Police Department (the “VPD”) of Charter-protected protest in solidarity with the people of Palestine (the “Complaint”).

In our view, the Board’s handling of this matter was marred from the outset by an inappropriate choice of external investigator and refusal to communicate with the complainants. This flawed process has resulted in a final investigator report, dated 5 May 2025, (the “Report”) that is deeply biased. The Board, in its decision issued on 9 July 2025 (the “Decision”), adopts the results of the Report uncritically.

We therefore request that you exercise your discretion under s 173 of the Act to review the Decision and recommend that the matter be studied by an independent and impartial investigator with expertise in matters of police surveillance, free expression, and anti-Palestinian racism. To assist you in deciding whether and how to act, we briefly outline what we believe to be the flaws in the process and the Report below. We would be happy to discuss any of these concerns with your office further, and to provide any supporting documentation you may require, upon request.”