BC Coroners Inquest: RCMP Wellness Check Protocols Critiqued After Haida Elder's Death

• A coroner's inquest into the death of Haida Elder Jimmie Johannesson recommended better police training and support for Indigenous individuals with intersectional barriers.
• The jury's recommendations include assessing provincial policing standards to ensure they prioritize de-escalation techniques and support vulnerable populations.
• Haida Elder Ruby Marks has urged greater collaboration between First Nations and law enforcement agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future.

No one should die because of a wellness check.

The death of Haida Elder Jimmie Johannesson at the hands of an RCMP officer during a wellness check has led to a renewed push for police reform in British Columbia. The incident, which occurred on April 8, 2022, was the subject of a coroner's inquest that concluded last Wednesday, August 5. The jury's recommendations, which include better police training and support for Indigenous individuals with intersectional barriers, have been welcomed by Haida Elder Ruby Marks, whose brother Jimmie was killed. Marks has urged greater collaboration between First Nations and law enforcement agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The coroner's inquest into Johannesson's death highlighted several critical issues with police protocols, including a failure to request background information on Johannesson's situation before conducting the wellness check. The officers involved did not attempt to contact Johannesson by phone, and instead opted for a confrontational approach that put both themselves and the civilian witness at risk. This tactic also prevented the application of non-lethal force in the situation. The Independent Investigations Office found no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed an offence, but suggested that police agencies should develop training to prioritize de-escalation techniques.

The jury's recommendations, which include assessing provincial policing standards and identifying supports for Indigenous individuals with intersectional barriers, have been hailed as a crucial step towards preventing similar incidents in the future. Marks and the BCCLA have urged the government to allocate resources to implementing these recommendations, which they believe will lead to meaningful change. The implementation of these reforms will be closely watched by lawyers and compliance officers, who are keenly aware of the importance of prioritizing de-escalation techniques and supporting vulnerable populations.

Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for the implementation of new policing standards in British Columbia, particularly those related to Indigenous individuals with intersectional barriers, as a result of the jury recommendations following the inquest into Jimmie Johannesson's death.

Source: Original reporting via The Canadian Legal Newswire