We're calling out the Trespass Prevention Program
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
Dear Friend,
Earlier this year, a coalition of legal and community-based groups sounded the alarm about a new Vancouver Police Department program that intrudes on the rights and liberties of people who rely on public space.
The VPD’s Trespass Prevention Program (TPP) gives police officers the power to remove people without a call for 911 service if they’ve allegedly violated the provincial Trespass Act.
The TPP enables the VPD to enter into a series of agreements with private property business owners. These agreements then serve as the basis for the displacement of people who rely on public space.
Here’s the thing – this policing program is blatantly undemocratic, discriminatory, and undercuts all efforts to end street checks. It’s a discriminatory practice that disproportionately impacts Indigenous and racialized people who navigate systemic poverty.
It must end immediately. That’s why, working with 8 groups, we’ve filed a formal Service and Policy complaint calling for its immediate cancellation.
The TPP enables VPD officers to... enforce the BC Trespass Act 24 hours per day – all through an agreement that doesn’t expire unless it’s revoked by the landowner/occupier. The Act allows police to question and arrest people without a warrant. It removes the presumption of innocence for the person accused of trespass.
The BCCLA has been challenging BC’s Trespass Act since 1981. We’ve been calling out criminalizing policing practices like the TPP for decades, and this time is no different. The BCCLA is here for the long haul to hold these criminalizing systems accountable.
We’re able to do this work thanks to the support of thousands of people who share our values. We’re so grateful that you’re here with us, calling for a future that guarantees civil liberties and human rights for all.
Thank you for committing to a better future.
Sincerely,
Meghan McDermott (she/her)
Interim Policy Director
& Senior Counsel (Policy)
