Two Vancouver Police officers are the subjects of a formal complaint being launched by Pivot Legal Society and the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) for the VPD’s heavy-handed approach in the Downtown Eastside Market on Hastings St.
Today, volunteers are at the meeting space at the DTES market on 60 East Hastings St. from 11am-5pm to hear your stories and help draft and submit complaints about the officers.
The pair of VPD officers were involved in the Sept. 14 cannabis seizure from High Hopes, a cannabis replacement program that aims to get people off of opioids by using cannabis instead.
So far this year, opioids have killed at least 878 people in BC alone, and these VPD officers decided to crack down on cannabis, a far safer, non-lethal alternative to the opioids ravaging the city.
The decision to launch the complaint against the VPD officers was inspired by the Community Safety Rally that was held 5 days ago at the market where community members, advocates, and harm reduction workers rallied together in support and to spread awareness of the two officers, who many in the DTES have reported as being overly aggressive.
Nearly everyone who walked by had a story of a negative encounter with them and it has left community members concerned for their safety.
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