Criminal investigation opened into police training seminar in Vancouver

A criminal investigation has been launched into a police training session in Vancouver that took place earlier this year where disturbing acts allegedly took place.

The troubling nature of the undercover training program was revealed in a Global investigation this spring. The trainees were apparently coached on how to convince others they weren’t police officers, and some role-played scenarios involved defecation on another person, food used in a sexual manner, and more.

According to Global, some officers found it so perverse they reported it to their supervisors.

Daily Hive has now learned the Director of Police Services ordered a special investigation into the BC Municipal Undercover Program (BCMUP) training course on July 25.

“We understand this to be a criminal investigation,” said Andrea Spindler, deputy police complaint commissioner with the Office of the Police Complain Commissioner.

The investigation is being handled by the RCMP, the Ministry of Public Safety confirmed to Daily Hive.

The RCMP confirmed it’s looking into the allegations.

“In July, the Director of Police Services ordered an investigation as per authorities under the BC Police Act. It was sent to the RCMP in BC and we will not be providing anything else with respect to the request,” said RCMP director of communications Dawn Roberts.

A disciplinary investigation had already been opened into the matter, but it’s been paused while the criminal investigation takes place.

According to Global, the training course took place at a Vancouver hotel in May and involved officers from Surrey, Vancouver, Abbotsford, New Westminster, and Metro Vancouver Transit Police.