New B.C. police watchdog signs deals with forces

B.C.'snew police watchdoghas taken another step forward by signing agreements with police forces across the province.

The memorandum of understanding involves the Independent Investigations Office, the RCMP, 11 municipal police departments, the Transit Police and one First Nations police force.

The agreement sets out details of how the IIO will conduct investigations when police officers are involved in a death or serious injury, replacing the current system of police investigating such incidents.

Office Director Richard Rosenthal says the agreement also includes the input of police union representatives, police boards and civil liberty and advocacy organizations.

He says the MOU will give his civilian office the tools it needs to improve public confidence when investigations are conducted into serious police-related incidents.

The new office, which begins work on Sept. 10, was set up after complaints about police investigating themselves in cases of civilian deaths or injuries, including the shooting death of Ian Bush during a struggle with a Mountie in the RCMP detachment in Houston in 2005.