A provincial all-party Special Committee to Appoint a Police Complaint Commissioner Dec. 12 unanimously recommended to the legislative assembly that Clayton Pecknold be appointed as police complaint commissioner.

The committee’s recommendation is included in a report released today and will be presented to the legislative assembly when the legislature resumes in February 2019.

“Mr. Pecknold exemplifies leadership, integrity and public service,” said Rachna Singh, committee chair. “He demonstrated a strong commitment to Indigenous communities and vulnerable populations, and recognized the importance of building relationships with policing, civil liberties and community organizations.”

“Committee members were impressed by his forward-looking approach and perspective to policing and public accountability, and appreciated his dual background in law and policing,” added Mike Morris, committee deputy chair. “We would also like to acknowledge and thank current commissioner Stan Lowe for his service as police complaint commissioner over the last 10 years.”

Pursuant to the Police Act, the police complaint commissioner is an independent officer of the legislature responsible for providing impartial civilian oversight of complaints and investigations regarding the conduct of municipal police officers in British Columbia.

The current commissioner’s term expires in February 2019.

The members of the committee are: Rachna Singh, MLA Powell Surrey-Green Timbers (chair); Mike Morris, MLA Prince George-Mackenzie (deputy chair); Garry Begg, MLA Surrey-Guildford; Rich Coleman, MLA Langley East; Adam Olsen, MLA Saanich North and the Islands.

On March 21, 2011, Clayton Pecknold was appointed assistant deputy minister and director of police services, policing and security branch, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The branch provides regulatory oversight over policing, law enforcement and private security in British Columbia.

Born in Vancouver, Pecknold joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1986. He holds a law degree from Dalhousie University and was called to the bar of British Columbia in 1996. Over his career in public service, he has worked in several provinces in Canada and has held senior positions in the justice and public safety sector as a senior government official, a police officer and legal counsel.

He is a past director of the emergency communications for British Columbia Incorporated (ECOMM911) and is the chair of the board of the Police Records Information Management Environment. He has also been an active member of various national justice and public safety committees and presently sits as a member of the Justice and Public Safety Council of BC.

Pecknold (pictured above) is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia and is a Member of the Governor General’s Order of Merit for the Police Forces and holds the Police Exemplary Service Medal and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal.

Lead image courtesy Government of BC

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