Proactive Disclosure
The Abbotsford Police Department is committed to openness and transparency in our operations, activities and communications with the public. We routinely receive and respond to Freedom of Information requests that, at times, produce reports and data that would also be beneficial to the community at large. As such, we will be proactively publishing select reports and data from these Freedom of Information requests that are deemed to be in the public interest.
In early 2020, the Director of Police Services issued BC Provincial Policing Standards (BCPPS) on Police Stops, which includes the practice of Street Checks, in their efforts to promote unbiased policing. Street Checks are defined as a voluntary interaction, that is neither arbitrary nor random, between a police officer and a person that is more than a casual conversation, and which impedes the person’s movement. A Street Check may include a request for identifying information depending on the circumstances.
Members’ interactions with persons in the community are recognized to be critical to fulfilling their policing duties. In recent years, across Canada, there has been some attention on the police practice of Street Checks. The changes to the practice of Street Checks are part of broader efforts by the BC Police Services Division to promote unbiased policing.