B.C. looking into multiple complaints against police watchdog leadership

VANCOUVER – A B.C. government agency is investigating a series of employee complaints levelled against the leadership inside the province’s police watchdog organization.

Deputy Attorney General Richard Fyfe has referred multiple grievances against the Independent Investigations Office to the Public Service Agency for further investigation.

The office is a civilian-led organization founded in 2012 with a mandate to probe instances where people are seriously injured or killed by police officers.

A statement from the ministry of justice says Fyfe received complaints and considered that he needed information about the situation in the office in order to decide what, if any, action should be taken.

It says he considers it appropriate to ask the agency to conduct a fair and thorough investigation, in order to ensure “personnel practices” at the office are following the law.

The office’s spokesman, Ralph Krenz, declined to comment in light of the ongoing investigation.