Actions and Commitments

Call to Action # 42 : Justice (25-42)

Manitoba’s Bill 7, The Police Services Amendment Act (Enhancing Independent Investigation Unit Operations) receives Royal Assent

June 1, 2022

Share to:

Codifylaws.com: This Bill makes a number of amendments to The Police Services Act that deal with the operation of the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU), which is responsible for investigating police officer conduct. The following are the key changes.

  • The timing and circumstances when a police service is required to notify the IIU of a serious incident, investigation or complaint is clarified. The specific actions to be taken by police officers to ensure that the IIU is promptly notified are established by regulation.
  • Police officers and specified persons affiliated with a police service are required to comply with reasonable requests from the IIU during an investigation.
  • The failure to notify the IIU of a matter that may lead to an investigation or to comply with a request from the IIU during an investigation is made an offence. A person convicted of this offence is subject to a fine or imprisonment.
  • The IIU must prepare a public report respecting each investigation into the conduct of a police officer. The report must specify the outcome of the investigation. If charges are not laid against the officer, the report must provide a summary of the investigation and the reason charges were not laid.
  • Current police officers are no longer eligible to serve as an investigator with the IIU.
  • The position of Director of Indigenous and Community Relations is created. This person will build relationships between the IIU and First Nations, Metis, Inuit and other communities and address concerns of those communities respecting the IIU.
  • Community liaisons from First Nations, Metis, Inuit and other communities may be assigned to an IIU investigation when the investigation relates to police involvement with a person from their community. Community liaisons will provide information about the status of the investigation to family members and the broader community and bring any family or community concerns to the IIU.
  • The civilian director of the IIU may designate a Crown attorney to serve as acting civilian director when the civilian director is unavailable or otherwise not able to perform their duties.

AFFECTED ACTS

(1)

The Police Services Act, C.C.S.M. c. P94.5