July is Summer CounterAttack Impaired Driving campaign
Police in British Columbia are always on the lookout for impaired drivers and, as summer is upon us, police throughout the province will be even more vigilant in their efforts to get impaired drivers off our roadways this July and beyond. The entire month of July is dedicated to the Summer CounterAttack Impaired Driving...
Active Peace Valley landslide renews questions about slope stability and BC government secrecy
By Sarah Cox, for The Narwhal For the second time in 20 months, residents of Old Fort are dealing with a large landslide that has cut off road access to the community, prompting calls for more transparency from the provincial government which continues to investigate a 2018 landslide in the same location. As an active new...
BC Chief Coroner speaks to proposed changes to Mental Health Act, particularly vis-a-vis illicit drug deaths
Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner of the BC Coroners Service, has issued the following statement in response to proposed legislative amendments to the Mental Health Act: “Today, the BC Coroners Service became aware of the proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act tabled by Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions....
Investigation launched into alleged 'racist games' in B.C. hospitals
Premier John Horgan and Minister of Health Adrian Dix are both speaking out today against alleged 'racist games' being played in some B.C. emergency rooms, in which doctors/nurses would try to guess patients' blood alcohol levels, particularly those of Indigenous patients. In a press conference Friday, Dix declined to identify...
RCMP officer shares personal experiences of racism and discrimination
Recently, police across Canada, including some of our RCMP officers were asked by the Toronto Star to share their personal experiences and perspectives on the issue of racism and discrimination. You can find a link to the story here: Toronto Star BC RCMP Sergeant Veronica Fox was one of those officers who responded to the...
B.C. reports highest-ever monthly total of illicit drug deaths in May 2020
The BC Coroners Service has published updated reports on illicit drug toxicity deaths and fentanyl-detected drug deaths to the end of May 2020. The 170 illicit drug toxicity deaths reported in May mark the highest monthly total ever in British Columbia. “It is both sad and deeply frustrating to see the number of illicit drug...
Increased reports of police impersonation scams in Surrey
Surrey RCMP is informing the public of a recent influx in scams involving individual(s) who are impersonating either a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) or Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer. Five reports of this scam were received by the Surrey RCMP on June 9, 2020. In these cases, the complainants said the...
BC RCMP response to global events and demonstrations
The BC RCMP is monitoring the events in the United States of America and is deeply saddened by the anguish expressed by so many in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in Minnesota on May 25, 2020. As an organization, members and staff are unsettled by the events in the USA and what happened to Mr. Floyd. We understand that...
RCMP seek witnesses to violent Kelowna arrest
A startlingly violent arrest caught on video by two separate witnesses has Kelowna RCMP requesting any further witnesses come forward to assist in the investigation of the incident in question. "RCMP investigators are seeking additional witnesses and video of an arrest that occurred in Kelowna last Saturday evening," said.Staff...
Nearly 60,000 students return on first day of in-class instruction
The Government of British Columbia reopened in-class instruction to all students on Monday, June 1, 2020, with about 30% of expected enrolment in attendance. At the high end were Grade 6 students at 48.3% of expected enrolment, while Grade 12 students were at the low end with 14.5%. These numbers reflect only the first day ...
