An investigation has been launched into the arrest of an Indigenous man and his 12-year-old granddaughter at a BMO bank in Vancouver last month.
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) has requested information from the Vancouver Police Department to determine if the actions of officers who made the arrests amount to misconduct.
In a release, the OPCC says the investigation will consider any policies, procedures or training from the department or the Vancouver Police Board that may be a factor in officers handcuffing the girl and her grandfather.
— BMO (@BMO) January 10, 2020
BMO has apologized for the Dec. 20 incident, when Maxwell Johnson went to the BMO branch to open a bank account for his granddaughter.
Bank staff suspected the pair of fraud and called the police who then arrested Johnson and his granddaughter, placing both of them in handcuffs.
However, after gathering more information, officers determined no fraud had occurred and released the pair.
“It is important that there be a thorough and independent investigation of this matter. The investigation will carefully examine and assess the circumstances of this incident including the legal authority to detain, arrest and use restraining devices such as handcuffs as well as any relevant questions of policy or training,” aid Andrea Spindler, Deputy Police Complaint Commissioner, in a statement.
The Delta Police Department has been ordered to conduct the independent investigation.
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