Some Vancouver police officers routinely break the Privacy Act
B.C.’s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner
supports them
In a sworn affidavit, a former Vancouver security guard related how some Vancouver police officers divulge people’s personal information to security guards. Here’s an excerpt from the Pivot Legal Society’s November 2008 report, Security Before Justice, page 17:
“Andrew explained that in his experience some VPD members provide Paladin Security with individuals’ personal information even in cases where no charges are recommended:
On at least two occasions, VPD members attending at incidents that I was working provided me with the legal names of the individuals involved in those incidents. On both of these incidents, there were no criminal charges recommended by the VPD members... [Site supervisor] instructed me that some VPD members would allow Paladin members to observe them writing down the names and dates of birth of individuals involved in incidents in which the police were involved. It was my understanding that it was my job to record that information if it was provided to me, for inclusion in the database. If the information was not offered, I was instructed that I should ask for name and date of birth information. Some officers willingly provided that information, others would not.”
This illegal practice violates the Privacy Act. It was part of my complaint and it’s an ongoing problem with some Vancouver police officers. But, as my experience shows, it has the blessing of Bruce Brown and Rollie Woods of B.C.’s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.
People in their position can’t plead ignorance. They actually support misconduct and illegal actions by police.