The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC has appointed an Indigenous Civilian Monitor to examine its investigation into the death of a man in Opitsaht on an island near Tofino.
The incident being investigated took place on Meares Island on Saturday, Feb. 27, when a man was shot and killed by Mounties.
Two Tofino RCMP officers were called to Opitsaht First Nation on Meares Island, north of Tofino, at around 9:30 p.m. on that Saturday night “to locate a woman in distress,” BC RCMP said in a news release. Officers said a call came in reporting a woman allegedly being held against her will.
Although details of the incident are vague, BC RCMP said an “interaction” took place with an unspecified number of people. One man was shot and another was taken into custody.
The woman was taken to hospital for assessment and no one else was injured.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. was notified following the incident and an investigation into the officers’ actions was launched.
The Indigenous Civilian Monitor being appointed, Acting Chief Thomas George of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, will receive unfettered access to all investigative materials, including all evidence and statements collected, and the IIO’s investigative team will provide any assistance requested.
“On behalf of the IIO, I thank the leadership of the Tla-o-qui-aht people for working in partnership with us to establish the first Indigenous Civilian Monitor to examine an IIO investigation. The IIO is committed to the goals outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and BC’s Declaration Act Action Plan, and we believe this is another step in the right direction to building trust and confidence in the IIO among Indigenous Peoples and communities,” said Chief Civilian Director Ronald J. MacDonald, QC.
“I look forward to Chief George’s report at the conclusion of his review and commit to undertaking any additional considerations, evidence, or avenues of investigation he identifies through his valuable lived experience.”
According to the IIO, Chief George’s final report will be made publicly available once the investigation is concluded.
The Independent Investigations Office acknowledges that the time it has taken to arrive at this point has been “lengthy” as the organization went through the necessary steps to develop a new agreement for the approach to identifying a candidate.
“I thank the family of the affected person, the Opitsaht community, and the public for their patience while we navigated this process. I also thank the IIO team who have worked hard to make this appointment a reality,” adds MacDonald.
The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
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