The Lieutenant Governor has ordered amendments to the Designated Policing and Law Enforcement Units Complaints Regulation, B.C. Reg. 230/2022. These amendments update and clarify various provisions related to complaints policies, definitions, and procedural rules governing designated policing and law enforcement units in British Columbia. The changes aim to align complaint handling and investigative processes across various policing bodies, ensuring consistency and clarity in addressing service and policy complaints.

An addition to the regulation is the inclusion of a new definition related to “systemic investigation provisions,” which refers specifically to sections 177.01 to 177.03 of the governing Act. This clarification ensures the regulatory framework addresses systemic investigations distinctly within the complaints process. The amendments also modify the way Part 11 of the Act is interpreted in this context, explicitly excluding Division 6.1 and the systemic investigation provisions, while expanding the application of certain definitions and procedural elements to designated units and boards.

Notably, the regulation introduces transitional provisions for complaints policies concerning service and policy complaints. Under the new rules, designated boards established before June 1, 2025, are required to develop complaints policies within two years following that date. These policies must conform to the complaints policy guidelines as they exist on June 1, 2026, allowing a period for alignment and standardization of complaint procedures.

The amendments also address the interpretation of references to various entities and roles within the regulatory framework. For example, references to an investigating officer within section 100 of the Act are to be read as references to the police complaint commissioner, centralizing oversight of investigations. Similarly, references to municipal police departments are broadened to include municipal police boards, designated units, and designated boards, reflecting the expanded scope of entities governed by this regulation.

The regulation clarifies notification requirements when applications are made under section 100(5) of the Act, which pertains to orders allowing access to premises or the exercise of powers in relation to police entities. Notification must be given by the police complaint commissioner to the appropriate authority depending on the subject of the application: the chief constable of the municipal police department, the chair of the municipal police board, the chief officer of a designated unit, or the chair of a designated board.

These amendments intend to provide designated policing and law enforcement units with clearer legislative guidance and stronger procedural foundations for managing public concerns and enhancing trust in policing services.

British Columbia (255/2025) June 4, 2025
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