Policing in Crisis: The Overuse of Force in B.C.

Police Use of Force: A Flawed System in Canada: 

The use of force by police has been a contentious issue for years, with growing public concern over excessive violence, racial disparities, and the failure to implement meaningful reforms. While police departments often justify force as necessary to maintain order and public safety, the reality is that it is disproportionately applied and frequently escalates situations rather than resolving them. This issue has become clearly evident in British Columbia, where cases of police brutality continue to surface, often with little accountability from law enforcement. Among the most concerning aspects of this issue is how force is used against individuals who are neurodivergent or experiencing a mental health crises.

The Overuse of Force in Policing: 

Across Canada, and particularly in B.C., a growing number of police interactions have been resulting in unnecessary violence. Data from the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) shows that a significant number of police-involved deaths involve use of force, with many cases involving people who were unarmed or in distress. The lack of de-escalation training and an over-reliance on weapons, such as tasers, batons, and firearms, has led to several preventable tragedies. 

B.C. has seen numerous high-profile cases of police brutality, including incidents where Indigenous and racialized individuals have been disproportionately targeted. The over-policing of marginalized communities continues to fuel distrust in law enforcement, further eroding the legitimacy of police institutions.

An example of police misuse of power against an Indigenous man is the killing of Jared Lowndes in 2021. Lowndes, a Wet’suwet’en man, was fatally shot by RCMP officers in Campbell River after a traffic stop escalated. This case raised concerns of police use of force particularly against Indigenous individuals. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. found reasonable grounds to believe officers committed offenses, but in 2024, the B.C. Prosecution Service declined to press charges. This case exemplifies the lack of accountability in police use of force and its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. 

Police and Mental Health: A Dangerous Combination: 

When police respond to mental health crises, the risks increase. Many officers receive little to no specialized training in handling these situations, leading to tragic outcomes. In B.C., the death of Myles Gray in 2015 remains a haunting reminder of this failure. Gray, who was experiencing a mental health episode, was beaten to death by Vancouver police officers during an altercation that quickly escalated. His case is one of many that highlight the urgent need for systemic change. 

Families of those in crisis call 911 seeking help, only for their loved ones to end up injured or dead. Traditional police training prioritizes control and compliance rather than understanding and de-escalation. This approach disproportionately affects individuals with conditions such as schizophrenia, autism, or bipolar disorder, whose behaviors may be misinterpreted as aggression or resistance. 

In February 2025, 15-year-old Chase de Balinhard, an autistic teen, was fatally shot by RCMP in Surrey, B.C., after officers mistook his toy gun for a real weapon. This incident sparked outrage, further highlighting the need for better police training in handling neurodivergent individuals and the urgency of alternative crisis response models. 

Alternative Approaches That Work: 

B.C. has started exploring alternative crisis response models, but progress remains slow. The Car 87 program in Vancouver, which pairs a police officer with a mental health professional, is a step in the right direction but the program remains underfunded and unable to meet the demand. Other models, such as the CAHOOTS program in Oregon, have demonstrated that non-police mental health responders can effectively de-escalate crises without resorting to violence. In 2019, CAHOOTS responded to approximately 24,000 calls. 

Of these calls, police backup was requested in only 150 instances, highlighting the program's effectiveness in managing crises without law enforcement intervention. Expanding these programs across B.C. could save lives and reduce unnecessary police involvement in mental health incidents. 

The Need for Change: 

The current approach to policing in B.C. and across Canada is failing those it is supposed to protect. The overuse of force, particularly against marginalized communities and individuals in crisis, must be addressed through meaningful reforms.

 Necessary changes include: 

• Implementing stricter use-of-force policies and increasing transparency.

• Expanding crisis response programs that do not involve police.

• Investing in de-escalation training and mental health education for officers.

• Holding police accountable for misconduct and excessive force. 

Police use of force should not be the default response to crises. We must advocate for a system that prioritizes care over control and de-escalation over violence.