A guide for service providers in health service settings
This guide was created on unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation).
Responding to Police in Health Service Settings: Know Your Rights, Protect Your Clients is a practical resource for health service providers in British Columbia seeking to reduce police interference in healthcare settings and in the lives of their clients.
Following the BC government's termination of its decriminalization pilot in January 2026, Pivot received a swell of reports from health service providers concerning police entering their services and intimidating their clients. Unsurprisingly, service providers report that these increases in policing have had a chilling effect on clients’ access to care services – consistent with what Pivot has been hearing for years from people who use drugs.
While this latest rise in police interference with health service settings is deeply concerning, we are heartened by the many service providers who are seeking practical advice on how to protect their clients’ access to care. In response, Pivot has been travelling around the province to deliver workshops and legal rights trainings for workers, publicly and privately employed; rural, urban, and remote; professionally licensed and unlicensed; and working in sanctioned and unsanctioned settings. Despite their diverse roles and workplaces, these providers share a common goal: protecting their clients’ health, safety, and access to care from unnecessary police involvement.
A consistent theme emerged across these sessions: service providers need a practical, accessible resource to reduce unnecessary police presence in healthcare settings and respond effectively when police attend their workplaces. In Responding to Police in Health Service Settings, service providers will find information on the following:
- Your rights when speaking to police
- Your rights when police request client information or belongings
- Your rights when documenting police actions
- A template policy for reducing police entry to services
This guide was designed to support people who provide services in health-focused settings, including but not limited to:
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This resource provides information about your legal rights and risks in BC health service settings, current to July 2026. It is not legal advice. If you need assistance with a legal matter, speak to a lawyer.
NOTE: Print copies of this resource are available upon request. To request a copy, please email [email protected]. We are committed to making this resource available at no cost to people with lived and living experience and peer-led organizations. If you are in a position to contribute, we welcome donations to help cover printing and shipping costs and support ongoing free distribution.
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Using the law as a catalyst for positive social change, Pivot Legal Society works to improve the lives of marginalized communities.
