Pivot Legal Society agrees to drop complaints against police

Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, November 06, 2007

VANCOUVER - The Pivot Legal Society has agreed to withdraw the last of its complaints against the Vancouver police department after acknowledging that the department has made major changes to its policies and procedures.

On Monday, the police department apologized to 52 people who made their original complaints more than five years ago and said it regrets not having those procedures and policies in place at the time.

Police said the new policies, instituted between 2004 and 2006, have "marked a new era in police relations with the Downtown Eastside community marked by increased sensitivity, accountability and responsiveness."

The police said Pivot's complaints prompted the department to undertake training to educate recruits, in-service officers and supervisors "about their obligations and rights under the Police Act, as well as providing information about the activities that often result in complaints, means of avoiding complaints and the importance of notes and documentation in resolving complaints."

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