Current Projects

Mental Health and Policing - Over the past two years, Pivot has been collecting affidavits from low-income people about their experiences with the police. The stories we’ve collected have prompted us to look more systemically at the way in which police are interacting with people with mental health concerns. Some of the issues we are looking at include use of force, access to health care in jail and accessibility of the complaints process for people with mental health issues. We are working with impacted communities to bring forward recommendations for improving police interactions with people living with mental illness. In the spring of 2012 Pivot will be representing the family of Michael Vann Hubbard, a mentally ill man who was shot and killed by police in 2009 at the Coroner's Inquest into his death.

Private Security and Human Rights – We are using the courts to challenge the impacts of the private security industry on people who are marginalized. We are currently representing five low income men who alledge that they suffered brutality and discrimination at the hands of private security guards contracted to patrol the Harbour Centre mall in Vancouver. Both Harbour Centre and Fusion Security Inc. are named in the civil cases and the Human Rights case brought forwad on behalf of the men. We are also looking forward to a decision in a case we brought to the Human Rights Tribunal alleging the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association’s Downtown Ambassador program is discriminatory and violates the human rights of people who are homeless or addicted.

Regulation of Police Dogs - After receiving complaints from a number of people who have been bitten by police dogs, we are looking at the policy and procedure around the use of dogs by police. We are currently representing an individual who is bringing a civil claim and policy complaint against the VPD after a police officer lost control of his dog during a wrongful arrest in East Vancouver. The dog attack left our client with significant wounds to his torso. Our goal is to highlight ongoing problems with unwarranted police dog attacks and to create policy change regarding the use of dogs during arrest.

Past Victories

Affidavit Campaign Sparks Audit of BC Police Complaints - In 2002, Pivot began collecting affidavits from people in the Downtown Eastside about their experiences with the Vancouver Police.  The 50 affidavits formed the basis of our first report, To Serve and Protect and sparked retired BC Supreme Court Judge Josiah Wood’s audit of the police complaints process in B.C. Wood’s recommendations mirrored many of those made by Pivot, including: improved and strengthened roles for third parties who make complaints and amending the Police Act to oblige police officers who are being investigated to cooperate with that investigation. The VPD also introduced significant policy reforms in response to the affidavits, including an improved seized property handling policy, and a more stringent note-taking procedure.

Formal apology by VPD to residents of the Downtown Eastside - In November 2007, shortly after the appointment of a new chief, the Vancouver Police Department released a formal written apology to residents of the Downtown Eastside. The apology came almost five years after Pivot filed a series of 50 complaints against officers working in the neighbourhood. Along with the formal apology, the Vancouver Police Department also released a detailed accounting of errors and disciplinary defaults in the handling of complaints.  Along with discipline for numerous officers, the accounting also set out 16 major policy and procedural changes initiated as a result of the Pivot complaints.

Independent Investigations Office (IIO) announced for BC - In May of 2011, the Provincial Government amended the Police Act to create an Independent Investigation Office to investigate incidents where police cause death or serious harm. Pivot, along with many other organizations and the families of victims of police misconduct, fought tirelessly for the creation of this body. The Independent Investigations Office will be led by a civilian who has never been a police officer and staffed by retired officers who have not worked in B.C. for at least five years. The goal is to have the office staffed entirely with civilians who have never served on a police force by 2015.