Latest news with #policeoversight
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Victoria police misconduct case prompts calls to change oversight system
The conclusion of a years-long misconduct case against a Victoria police officer is resulting in appeals to reform B.C.'s police oversight system. The conclusion of a years-long misconduct case against a Victoria police officer is resulting in appeals to reform B.C.'s police oversight system. Last week, Victoria Police Department Sgt. Ron Kirkwood was handed a seven-day, unpaid suspension after a retired judge found he abused his authority during a call in 2019. Kirkwood fired an anti-riot weapon into a smoke-filled room, accidentally hitting 43-year-old Lisa Rauch in the head and killing her. 'It's been such a dragged-out process that it's excruciating,' Lisa's mother, Audrey Rauch, told CTV News. Audrey and her husband, Ron Rauch, met with B.C.'s Police Complaint Commissioner on Wednesday to share their concerns about the oversight process. They said it was riddled with delays and disinformation about what happened to their daughter. 'It's a joke,' Audrey said. While the Rauch family and police may feel differently about the outcome of the case, they're aligned in their calls for oversight reform. Victoria City Police Union president Sgt. Angela Van Eerd said it can take months for members to learn whether a complaint against them will be investigated or dismissed. 'I would characterize the current oversight process as a long, drawn-out process that needs to be changed and needs to have tighter timelines for the mental health of our officers,' Van Eerd said. 'This has just been torment for the family of Sgt. Kirkwood and Lisa Rauch's family.' The misconduct finding against Kirkwood followed a public hearing, where a retired judge reviewed evidence and heard from 20 witnesses. The Rauch family requested the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) order the hearing because they doubted the integrity of three other oversight investigations that found no wrongdoing. 'I believe fully in accountability for police,' Van Eerd said. 'But do I believe in accountability after three adjudications have been unsubstantiated and then we're going to call a fourth because we don't get the answer that we want? I don't believe in that.' 'Problems often lurk in the gaps' In B.C., there are several police watchdogs at play. For the RCMP, misconduct allegations are handled by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, an independent agency in Ottawa. The OPCC deals with misconduct cases against municipal officers. It does not conduct investigations, but oversees the probes it assigns to police departments. 'A lot of provinces are moving towards a model in which the actual oversight office body does at least some of the investigation, if not all of the investigation,' said Police Complaint Commissioner Prabhu Rajan. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. has its own investigators, who are dedicated to cases involving serious injury or death where an officer could be criminally charged. 'An efficiency may well be… that we have a central, single point of intake,' said IIO Chief Civilian Director Jessica Berglund. In 2022, a legislative committee made a similar recommendation, calling for a single, civilian-led oversight agency. WATCH: The heads of the IIO and the OPCC share their thoughts on upgrading the police oversight system. Adam Olsen, the former B.C. Green Party MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, was one of 10 people appointed to the Committee on Reforming the Police Act. 'We have a lot of oversight bodies (and) not a lot of coherence between them,' Olsen said. 'When you see fragmented systems, the problems often lurk in the gaps between those systems.' The committee formed amid calls for systemic change, following the death of George Floyd, who was murdered by a Minnesota police officer in 2020. Recommendations include expediting minor misconduct complaints and establishing services to help victims and their loved ones navigate the system. The committee also called for additional resolution measures, such as mediation or direct conversations between complainants and officers. 'I lament the fact that we don't see the ministry doing this work in public,' Olsen said. 'Are they doing work? I can imagine that they are. Do we know what it is? No.' Surrey-Guildford MLA and former Mountie Garry Begg was also part of the committee. He has since become B.C.'s Public Safety Minister. CTV News requested an interview with Begg, but received a statement instead. 'Ministry staff are continuing to work with partners to address the recommendations from the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, so we can make sure that police can serve British Columbians in the best way possible,' Begg said. Signs of improvement Last year, the province made changes to the Police Act, granting the OPCC the ability to conduct investigations into systemic issues that prompt multiple complaints of a similar nature. The amendments also allow the OPCC to call public hearings earlier, which could have sped up the Kirkwood case. 'It would have shaved a year and a half to two years off the actual overall process,' Rajan said. 'We would all like things to happen much more quickly, but sometimes in complicated cases, you need some time to properly gather the information and analyze the information.' While Rajan sees opportunities for improvement, he believes in the system. 'I don't want anybody left with the sense that it's not a good process. In fact, it is quite good,' he said. At the IIO, year-over-year data show the average number of days to conclude a case has fallen from 103 to 52. 'A couple of years ago, my predecessor was successful in obtaining additional investigative resources for the IIO. So currently, I think timeliness is less of an issue than it was,' Berglund said. Still, Berglund said she appreciates the toll multiple prolonged investigations can take on people. 'The key in so much of this is good communication and being sensitive and empathetic to the needs of all the parties who are involved,' she said. The Rauch family said at the time of Lisa's death, they weren't even aware B.C.'s oversight bodies existed. 'How can we, as agencies, do better to support those families, to explain the processes, (and) explain that this may take several years to reach final resolution?' Berglund said. She expects the system will continue to evolve due to the collective desire to upgrade it. 'We are all working towards improved civilian oversight and keeping our focus on the bigger picture of why we have civilian oversight, which is to improve the accountability of the police and really improve the trust that the public has in the police forces in British Columbia,' she said.
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Crash involving SA Police sergeant prompts calls for more oversight
A driver involved in a crash with a SA Police sergeant — resulting in the officer being charged with leaving the scene — has called for greater oversight in cases where police are under investigation. Allan Kelson has also criticised a police determination that he was at fault when his car collided with a ute driven by Brevet Sergeant Daryl Wayne Mundy on February 7. Mr Kelson was driving with his wife, Heather, when they were involved in the crash near Whitmore Square in the CBD. At the time, Sergeant Mundy had been serving as deputy president of the Police Association of SA and was campaigning for re-election. Mr Kelson has supported calls this week from independent MLC Frank Pangallo for an independent review into the matter. SA Police said its internal investigation section reviews the cases of officers charged with criminal offences — and investigations by the section are overseen by the Office of Public Integrity. Dashcam video of the incident, supplied to the ABC, appears to show Mr Kelson coming to a stop in a lane blocked off by traffic cones. The vision captures an exchange about who had been required to give way before Sergeant Mundy appears to drive away. Mr Kelson alleges he briefly followed Sergeant Mundy, who later reported the incident at the Netley police station. Mr Kelson said he checked back in with police three weeks later for an update, but was told no action had yet been taken. In early March, he was asked to give a statement and hand over his dashcam footage to police. He said he was told by an officer that, based on the footage, a determination had been made that he had failed to give way and would be issued an infringement. "I'm prepared to go to court (to contest the infringement), and I'm 99 per cent confident that I'll win the case," he said. Sergeant Mundy was charged with one count of failing to stop and give particulars to persons at a crash scene and one count of failing to give particulars about a crash to a police officer. Sergeant Mundy, who was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election as union deputy president, did not enter a plea at an initial hearing on May 20. The case is due to return to court next month. Mr Kelson said he learned from media reports that Sergeant Mundy had been charged. He said the months-long investigation process had been "disappointing" — and more oversight was needed where police officers are involved. "I really think it needs to be more open and all people involved should be updated, otherwise it's always a guessing game." The case was raised in parliament this week by Mr Pangallo, who said he had been contacted by a "very distressed" Mr Kelson. Mr Pangallo said he agreed the infringement should not have been issued. "After viewing the footage several times, reading this section of the road rules and showing it to an experienced road traffic lawyer, not only does Mr Kelson have a rock-solid defence but (SA Police) appears to have made an error of judgement," he said. Mr Pangallo asked Police Minister Stephen Mullighan to request a full independent review of the matter. He said the review should be used to rule out any suggestion of police bias or connection to the police union election. SA Police said it has systems in place to ensure matters involving officers were appropriately investigated. "When a police officer is charged with a criminal offence, including a road safety offence, their conduct during the incident is reviewed by the Internal Investigation Section (IIS)," a statement said. "If the officer is suspected of not behaving in a manner expected by the SAPOL's Code of Conduct, an investigation is conducted by the IIS, which is independently overseen by the Office of Public Integrity." The statement said police could not respond to questions about the case involving Sergeant Mundy because it was still before the court. SA Police confirmed that Sergeant Mundy had not been stood down, and said a review process would take place at the end of the court process. Mr Mullighan was contacted for comment.
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
Small gathering lays ashes of wrongfully convicted man to rest, as family seeks probe
Glen Assoun is embraced by his daughter Amanda Huckle at Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax on Friday, March 1, 2019. Assoun, who died in June 2023 at age 67, was acquitted in March 2019 of the 1995 killing of his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Lee Anne Way, after spending almost 17 years in prison. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan HALIFAX — In a quiet grove at the edge of a Halifax cemetery, the family of a wrongfully convicted man laid his remains to rest, and said his fight for justice lives on. Glen Assoun died June 14, 2023, but the family postponed interring his ashes until a gathering Monday, presided over by Rev. David Watt, a Baptist minister who stood by his friend over the years. 'We laid him here to rest .... But I feel like the real rest will happen when we have a resolution and some people are held accountable,' said his daughter Amanda Huckle, following the small gathering. In March 2019, a Nova Scotia court acquitted Assoun in the 1995 killing of his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Lee Way. During 17 years in prison and five years under strict bail conditions, Assoun developed heart illnesses and suffered from mental illnesses. He only received a compensation settlement from the federal and provincial governments about two years before he died at the age of 67. Almost five years ago, the province requested the police oversight body begin a formal probe into whether officers broke the law when they destroyed evidence relevant to Assoun's case. In March 2021, the Nova Scotia police watchdog announced that to ensure transparency, its counterpart in British Columbia had agreed to be on the investigation. But on Nov. 30, 2023, Nova Scotia's agency announced the B.C. watchdog had dropped the case due to a heavy workload. Since then, the agency has reached out to multiple police oversight bodies and has struggled to find one that will take the case. Erin Nauss, the director of the Serious Incident Response Team, said in an email Monday that she had 'hoped to have an update,' but isn't yet in a position to share information about the next steps. 'I want to assure you that my focus and our work on moving this investigation forward has not wavered. I will provide an update when there is more to say,' she wrote. Huckle said the family's expectations aren't wavering, as this is an important part of how they can move forward. 'This (interment) is closure for us in some aspects but there's still that lingering door that is still open,' she said. During the ceremony, Assoun's ashes were placed in a marble bench inscribed with the Gibson guitars he loved to play. Family members each touched the sides of the enclosure. Tanya Assoun, his eldest daughter, read an April 19, 2009, letter he'd written to her from prison, telling her he missed her and advising, 'Be strong and think positive ... set your bar high. Through the grace of God justice will prevail.' 'He always wanted the best for me,' she said after the service. 'Even though he was in prison, he would always say those things to me.' During the gathering, Watt read Bible verses and recalled 'the blessing of memories,' including sitting and eating meals with Assoun, who was his roommate for two years after his release. As the group walked away from the secluded spot, Watt said his friend would have liked the nature path and the tranquil spot where his bench is set. The only sound through the day was of a slight June breeze. Amanda Huckle agreed. 'My Dad deserved peace. He deserves this peace,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025. By Michael Tutton
CTV News
13-06-2025
- CTV News
7-day suspension for Victoria police officer who killed woman with anti-riot weapon
Lisa Rauch's parents, Audrey and Ron Rauch, say they encountered misinformation and significant delays during several police oversight investigations. (CTV News) VICTORIA — A Victoria police officer who was found to have made a serious error in judgment when he fired an anti-riot weapon into a smoke-filled room in 2019, hitting a woman in the head and killing her, has been handed a seven-day suspension without pay. But the mother of Lisa Rauch, the woman who died, said the years spent waiting to find out how Sgt. Ron Kirkwood would be disciplined have been a form of punishment too. 'The fact that we have waited 5 1/2 years to get here has been a punishment for us, as well for (Kirkwood) and his family,' said Audrey Rauch outside a hearing in Victoria on Thursday. She said she was satisfied that Kirkwood felt remorse. Adjudicator Wally Oppal, who was appointed by B.C.'s police watchdog, announced the punishment at the hearing, calling Kirkwood a good police officer who had a bad moment during a challenging call, which led to 'catastrophic circumstances.' Oppal ruled last month that the officer's use of the anti-riot weapon that killed 43-year-old Lisa Rauch was 'reckless and unnecessary.' He said the officer had an exemplary record, and had made a serious but not malicious error in judgment. He said he was satisfied that the misconduct 'in the context of other relevant factors does not justify dismissal, demotion or a lengthy suspension.' Lisa's mother and father Ron Rauch were among some 20 people in the audience when Oppal handed down his ruling. 'I have no experience with any kind of similar things happening, so I'm just trusting that Wally Oppal would know, what would be appropriate in this case, because he does this kind of work,' Audrey Rauch said. She called on Victoria Police Department to improve training and forgo the use of the anti-riot weapon known as an ARWEN gun, which fires plastic bullets. 'It was made for riot control, and not shoot somebody from 15 feet, even if it was 15 feet,' she said. She held back tears as she described her daughter as a person with a great sense of humour. 'She was funny,' she said. 'She loved to play the piano.' Oppal, who is a former B.C. Supreme Court judge, was appointed by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner to review the evidence against the officer and determined earlier that Kirkwood committed misconduct when he used the weapon on Rauch, who was in a drug-induced psychosis. Oppal's ruling last month said police were called on Christmas Day 2019 to a Victoria apartment where Rauch had been using drugs and alcohol. It said when police entered the apartment, their view was obscured by smoke from a fire and they believed Rauch was standing, but she was sitting and was hit in the head by two plastic projectiles. Oppal said Thursday that Kirkwood's remorse was genuine and he was very unlikely to repeat his misconduct. 'However, I have to consider the whole of the circumstances, and here the incident was serious. It was a momentary one, and it was an error made in judgment. I have to consider that.' Oppal said the officer is on medical leave and has missed 'significant time' from work to address his post-traumatic stress stemming from the death. Among Oppal's recommendations are that the Victoria Police Department take steps to ensure front-line officers wear body cameras. Oppal acknowledged that the department expects the equipment in the coming years. 'I urge them to attach priority to the acquisition.' He said communication between the department and the victim's family lacked 'sensitivity,' included delays in providing information, along with 'multiple instances of misinformation.' Audrey Rauch agreed with the need for more accurate communication. 'We waited for 10 months to find out that they shot her in the back of the head, while she was sitting on a couch, with her back to them,' she said. 'That's wrong.' Oppal also criticized the communication between the department and Kirkwood, noting the officer was told of the woman's death by text. 'I accept fully the trauma that he experienced and I recognize what he had gone through. In my view, he could have been treated with much more sensitivity,' Oppal said. Victoria Police Chief Del Manak said he accepted the suspension of Kirkwood as well as Oppal's recommendations. Manak said he was glad Oppal recognized the circumstances of the incident. 'The adjudicator recognized that, when talking about the penalty, that a seven-day-penalty took into account the challenging and dynamic nature of this call and what the officer did not intend to happen,' Manak said. 'Of course, we all recognize that there are no winners in this.' He added that it is important to continue to recognize the family's stress and pain. 'The family have been here throughout, and I think it's important to recognize and make sure that our heartfelt condolences continue to go out to the family,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025. Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kenyan dies in custody after arrest for online post
Kenya's independent police oversight body has launched an investigation into the death of a man who had been detained "for false publication", the police have said. Albert Ojwang was arrested in the western town of Homa Bay and then driven 350km (220 miles) to the capital, Nairobi, his father Meshack Opiyo told journalists. "While in custody, the suspect sustained head injuries after hitting his head against a cell wall," a police statement said. He was rushed to hospital "where he was pronounced dead on arrival". The director of the Kenyan branch of rights group Amnesty International told the BBC that the death of Mr Ojwang, described in reports as a teacher and blogger, was "very suspicious". Amnesty said in a statement that his death "raises serious questions that must be urgently, thoroughly, and independently investigated". Senior police officer Stephen Okal is quoted by the Star newspaper as saying what happened in the cell was "an attempted suicide". It is not clear what the charge of "false publication" referred to, but Mr Opiyo told online news site Citizen Digital that the arresting police officer said "Albert had insulted a senior person on X", the social media platform. Referring to the circumstances of his arrest, Amnesty International Kenya director Irungu Houghton said it was "quite shocking" that Mr Ojwang was not booked in at the local police station after being detained, but was instead taken on a long journey. He called on the independent investigators to secure what he described as "the crime scene" at the police station in Nairobi. The police said that Mr Ojwang was "lawfully arrested". His detention and death comes at a time of rising concern about how some government critics are being treated. Last week, software developer Rose Njeri - who created a tool to help people oppose a government finance bill - was charged with violating a cybercrime law. Why Kenya's president has so many nicknames The 'tax collector' president sparking Kenyan anger BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protesters Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
