National Police Federation Responds to Charges Against Some RCMP Members in Prince George, B.C.

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 1, 2023 /CNW/ - Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President, National Police Federation, regarding charges laid against some RCMP Members in Prince George, B.C.: 

"In-custody deaths, while rare, are tragic and impactful for everyone involved. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr. Culver, as well our Members and their families in the face of the charges laid today.

We support transparent, accountable, and timely investigations and court proceedings. However, it is important to highlight that, this file was far from timely. The investigation by the Independent Investigations Office of BC, the charge assessment by the BC Prosecution Service, and the ultimate charge approval decision by BC Crown Counsel took almost six years, creating an extensive period of uncertainty for our Members, Mr. Culver's family, and the community of Prince George. While we understand the challenges associated with insufficient funding and human resources, this delay is simply unacceptable and unfair, and British Columbians deserve better. 

In fact, the Province of BC's report on "A Rapid Investigation into Repeat Offending and Random Stranger Violence in British Columbia" makes important and urgent recommendations to unclog and modernize BC's overwhelmed court system, with a goal to create a more efficient and respectful legal process and BC Prosecution Service. We fully support and endorse their implementation.

Also importantly, now that deployment of body-worn cameras for RCMP Members across the country is fast-approaching, we expect that these will help protect Canadians, including our Members, and provide transparency, evidence, and accountability on all interactions between police and the public.

Out of respect for those involved, we ask that everyone allow the legal process to unfold in the courtroom, rather than in the media."

About the National Police Federation:

The National Police Federation (NPF) was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. The NPF is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada; the second largest in North America and is the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.

The NPF is focused on improving public safety in Canada by increasing resources, equipment, training, and other supports for our Members who have been under-funded for far too long. Better resourcing and supports for the RCMP will enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.

For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/

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SOURCE National Police Federation

Media contacts: Fabrice de Dongo, Manager, Media Relations, [email protected], [phone]; Sarah Kavanagh, Coordinator, Media Relations, [email protected], [phone]