Following a disturbing experience with police, a Vancouver woman has created an initiative that will allow anonymous reporting of police harassment.
People Check Police was launched May 27. The platform also gives police officers an opportunity to anonymously report negative police conduct in police agencies without fear of internal workplace reprisal.
The initiative was started by Kim Davidson, CEO and executive director of the BC Epilepsy Society. On the initiative’s website, Davidson documents a story where she says she experienced harassment during an interaction with officers who were responding to a call about a suspicious car parked in the area.
"I was completely powerless, helpless, and stripped of my dignity," states Davidson.
“I had a choice. Do nothing and wait months for the Police Complaint Commissioner to decide if I had a 'legitimate complaint' OR rally the troops and action a social justice initiative that would give the public an opportunity to anonymously report their negative police incidents,” Davidson writes.
She adds that in her quest to learn more about police harassment, she found internal police harassment statistics of abusive behaviour happening within police agencies on their own officers.
“I am sickened to know that they are not being properly protected and supported,” Davidson writes. “I decided to add a survey to collect data to tell their story. I encourage people to get informed and go through the reports on this site.”
The website offers a fill-in-the-blank form for both the public to file a complaint about police harassment and for police to file a complaint about workplace harassment.
