Learning from Lost Lives

Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 6 REFERENCE GUIDE ............................................................................................................................................. 10 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................. 14 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................................. 14 VPD PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL INQUIRY INTO MMIWG ........................................................................................... 15 Working Meeting to Support National Inquiry into MMIWG ............................................................................. 15 British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police MWCI Subcommittee .............................................................. 15 Review of MMIWG Cases .................................................................................................................................... 15 KEY FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL INQUIRY INTO MMIWG ............................................................................................... 16 RECEIVING VOICES: THE VPD’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE FINDINGS ................................................................................. 17 EMBRACING DIVERSITY: THE VPD’S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY ......................................................................... 18 ENGAGING INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS ................................................................................................... 19 SCARS IN SPIRITS AND SOULS .......................................................................................................................................... 19 SEX INDUSTRY LIAISON OFFICER ...................................................................................................................................... 20 FRONTLINE OFFICERS: ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH MARGINALIZED WOMEN ....................................................................... 21 SISTERWATCH ............................................................................................................................................................. 21 VPD REVIEW OF CALLS FOR JUSTICE .................................................................................................................. 23 REVIEWING RECRUITING PRACTICES ................................................................................................................................. 23 Promoting Ethnic Diversity.................................................................................................................................. 23 Programming and Initiatives to Recruit Indigenous Peoples and 2SLGBTQQIA People ...................................... 23 Bridging the Gap: Gender Diversity .................................................................................................................... 25 A Foundation of Culture: Preserving and Revitalizing Indigenous Languages .................................................... 2 5 Testing for Bias in Police Recruits ....................................................................................................................... 26 Indigenous Perspective in Hiring VPD Officers .................................................................................................... 27 STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY RELATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 28 Neighbourhood Police Officer for the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre ................................. 29 Indigenous Liaison Officer ................................................................................................................................... 30 Musqueam Liaison Officer .................................................................................................................................. 30 LGBTQ2S+ Liaison Officer ................................................................................................................................... 31 Homeless Outreach Officer ................................................................................................................................. 31 Indigenous Liaison and Protocol Officer ............................................................................................................. 32 Indigenous Advisory Committee ......................................................................................................................... 32 Partnerships Established through Investigative Sections .................................................................................... 33 Connections through Victim Services .................................................................................................................. 34 Other Community Programming to Heighten Safety .......................................................................................... 35 CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND GENDER‐NEUTRAL POLICY, PRACTICES, AND PROCEDURES ........................................................ 36 2 Culturally Appropriate Policy .............................................................................................................................. 37 Respecting Gender Identity ................................................................................................................................. 37 Employment Supports for Indigenous Police Officers ......................................................................................... 38 Policy on Limited Duration Posts ........................................................................................................................ 38 Guidelines for Policing the Sex Industry .............................................................................................................. 39 TRAINING: INCREASING CULTURAL COMPETENCE & ENSURING TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES .................................................. 40 Recruit Training at the JIBC ................................................................................................................................. 40 Promising Practices: Trauma Informed Investigators ......................................................................................... 40 Fair and Impartial Policing .................................................................................................................................. 41 Increasing Cultural Awareness ............................................................................................................................ 42 Developing Awareness on Other Vulnerable Populations................................................................................... 44 Training On Missing Persons Investigations ....................................................................................................... 46 REVIEWING INVESTIGATIVE PRACTICES.............................................................................................................................. 4 7 Overview of the VPD Missing Persons Unit ......................................................................................................... 47 Crossing Jurisdictions and Improving Coordination ............................................................................................ 48 Standardization of Protocols ............................................................................................................................... 49 Helping the Healing Journey: Improving Communication with Families ............................................................ 54 Finding Ways to Improve Communication with Families .................................................................................... 55 VPD Victim Services Unit ..................................................................................................................................... 55 The Impact of Officer Turnover ........................................................................................................................... 56 Unresolved Files of MMIWG ............................................................................................................................... 57 Investigative Teams at VPD ................................................................................................................................ 57 Ensuring Public Trust: Independent Civilian Oversight of the VPD ...................................................................... 58 INSPIRING CHANGE: FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR THE VPD .................................................................................... 61 CONTINUED EDUCATION FOR VPD OFFICERS ..................................................................................................................... 61 Expansion of Trauma Informed Training ............................................................................................................ 61 SUPPORTING CALLS FOR JUSTICE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL ......................................................................................................

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