Stephen Harrison
@stephenharrison.bsky.social
Victoria, B.C. needsmorespikes.com
Pinned
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
Went back further. An officer looked up their tenant. Another looked up a contractor. One officer "had a habit of running names of friends and relatives." Another looked up their ex 20 times. All told that's about 50 officers with substantiated complaints of misusing police databases. But why audit?
![B.C. police database misuse, substantiated complaints
2016: Vancouver PD officer “searched police databases for a purpose unrelated to duties as a police officer” and “improperly disclosed confidential information acquired from police databases to a member of the public”
2016: Transit Police officer “used the PRIME database system, without permission, to gather statistics for their master’s degree course”
2015: Transit Police officer “queried their tenant using police databases”
2015: New Westminster PD officer “used police databases to query one of [their] contractors and the licence plate of a vehicle being used by the contractors” and “disclosed [to a member of the property management company] that a vehicle being driven by one of the contractors was uninsured and that one of the contractors had a criminal record”
2015: Delta PD, three officers “conducted improper police database queries in relation to an off duty police officer’s call for assistance” and “improperly disclosed the information obtained”
2015: Abbotsford PD officer “accessed police databases for purposes unrelated to his/her duties as a police officer.”
2014: Delta PD officer “queried police databases by means of a mobile data terminal for a purpose unrelated to the performance of the officer’s duties”
2014: Delta PD officer “accessed the PRIME database for personal reasons”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:x2ojtemkdgeywq2ua6fx7gcu/bafkreiackla4kywhszyocbn56e4je3thfzwieesqttu4rh4ybrtf64opta)
December 19, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Went back further. An officer looked up their tenant. Another looked up a contractor. One officer "had a habit of running names of friends and relatives." Another looked up their ex 20 times. All told that's about 50 officers with substantiated complaints of misusing police databases. But why audit?
New stories of police database misuse drop every day. At least 50 B.C. officers have been found to have committed misconduct for misusing databases. How many more aren't caught? Or face no consequences? The privacy commissioner said a VicPD officer improperly looked me up, but he's not on this list.
Here are excerpts from OPCC reports of BC officers caught misusing police databases. They looked up family members and exes, a woman an officer "was interested in," a nurse, and a convocation speaker. Some officers used databases for a "business venture." But VicPD doesn't audit database use. (2/2)
![B.C. police database misuse, substantiated complaints
2023: Port Moody PD officer “requested a colleague to query a particular license plate on a police database without disclosing the query was for a personal reason”
2023: Abbotsford PD officer “used police databases to query a university convocation guest speaker who had made remarks about a police incident that the speaker had been involved in”
2023: Abbotsford PD officer “queried their spouse for reasons unrelated to the performance of the member’s duties”
2022: VPD officer “used a police database to query the license plate of a driver that had been involved in a traffic altercation with the member’s spouse”
2021: VPD officer “queried the name of the VCH nurse on a police database for a purpose unrelated to the member’s duties”
2021: Saanich PD officer “used police databases to run checks on his former partner and members of her family”
2020: VPD special municipal constable “queried a person on a police database for reasons unrelated to [their] duties”
2020: VPD officer “conduct[ed] a query using police database for information unrelated to an investigation or duties as a police officer”
2019: VPD officer “used a police database to query the residence of a relative who was under criminal investigation”
2019: VPD officer “queried [a] complainant’s name using a police database for reasons not associated with their duties as a police officer”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:x2ojtemkdgeywq2ua6fx7gcu/bafkreia7y6turgouzjefchk56h4tmp3z6srt2xtk56qj4kostvt5bgoy34)
September 17, 2026 at 2:17 PM
New stories of police database misuse drop every day. At least 50 B.C. officers have been found to have committed misconduct for misusing databases. How many more aren't caught? Or face no consequences? The privacy commissioner said a VicPD officer improperly looked me up, but he's not on this list.
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
"didn't Ed Sheeran do that cool thing years ago?" i thought but then remembered No that was Gren Ballsachtler of Winkler, Manitoba who pretended to be Ed Sheeran
from 2023.
from 2023.
September 14, 2026 at 10:13 PM
"didn't Ed Sheeran do that cool thing years ago?" i thought but then remembered No that was Gren Ballsachtler of Winkler, Manitoba who pretended to be Ed Sheeran
from 2023.
from 2023.
There’s a #yyj police board meeting at 5:00 pm. Will follow along on this thread. Agenda: www.vicpd.ca/260915%20VEP... Stream: www.youtube.com/@victoriaesq... #vicpboard
September 15, 2026 at 11:40 PM
There’s a #yyj police board meeting at 5:00 pm. Will follow along on this thread. Agenda: www.vicpd.ca/260915%20VEP... Stream: www.youtube.com/@victoriaesq... #vicpboard
Five years ago today, VicPD shot and killed a man in crisis. The IIO said there were grounds to believe the officer committed an offence. Earlier this year, the Prosecution Service said they wouldn’t approve charges, while also finding VicPD shot and killed the man without warning from 45 feet away.
September 12, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Five years ago today, VicPD shot and killed a man in crisis. The IIO said there were grounds to believe the officer committed an offence. Earlier this year, the Prosecution Service said they wouldn’t approve charges, while also finding VicPD shot and killed the man without warning from 45 feet away.
Seems like bad news. It's that same guy who got all that press alleging his speech was being shut down for 'writing to the premier,' when his letter 'to the premier' was instead published in media outlets, identifying himself by his job, and the contents were him just shitting on a SOLID facility.
With just over a month until municipal elections take place across B.C., a new player is entering the capital city's political arena.
https://cheknews.ca/a-first-in-its-168-year-history-victoria-firefighters-union-to-endorse-council-candidates-1346923/
https://cheknews.ca/a-first-in-its-168-year-history-victoria-firefighters-union-to-endorse-council-candidates-1346923/
‘A first’ in its 168-year history: Victoria Firefighters union to endorse council candidates
With just over a month until municipal elections take place across B.C., a new player is entering the capital city's political arena.
cheknews.ca
September 11, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Seems like bad news. It's that same guy who got all that press alleging his speech was being shut down for 'writing to the premier,' when his letter 'to the premier' was instead published in media outlets, identifying himself by his job, and the contents were him just shitting on a SOLID facility.
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
It took 343 days to get this data after VicPD and the province tried to shut it down.
VicPD asked the province not to release any of its use of force data, and they agreed. After multiple appeals, we can now see things like how often VicPD injured people, including people they’ve already jailed, or used force during “wellness checks.” needsmorespikes.com/blog/use-of-... #yyj #cdnfoi
VicPD and province try to stop release of police “use of force” data — Needs More Spikes
VicPD asked the government not to release data showing how its officers used force between 2022 and 2024. The government agreed, but they were overruled by the privacy commissioner. The data shows Vic...
needsmorespikes.com
September 10, 2026 at 2:36 PM
It took 343 days to get this data after VicPD and the province tried to shut it down.
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
VicPD asked the province not to release any of its use of force data, and they agreed. After multiple appeals, we can now see things like how often VicPD injured people, including people they’ve already jailed, or used force during “wellness checks.” needsmorespikes.com/blog/use-of-... #yyj #cdnfoi
VicPD and province try to stop release of police “use of force” data — Needs More Spikes
VicPD asked the government not to release data showing how its officers used force between 2022 and 2024. The government agreed, but they were overruled by the privacy commissioner. The data shows Vic...
needsmorespikes.com
September 10, 2026 at 4:16 AM
VicPD asked the province not to release any of its use of force data, and they agreed. After multiple appeals, we can now see things like how often VicPD injured people, including people they’ve already jailed, or used force during “wellness checks.” needsmorespikes.com/blog/use-of-... #yyj #cdnfoi
It took 343 days to get this data after VicPD and the province tried to shut it down.
VicPD asked the province not to release any of its use of force data, and they agreed. After multiple appeals, we can now see things like how often VicPD injured people, including people they’ve already jailed, or used force during “wellness checks.” needsmorespikes.com/blog/use-of-... #yyj #cdnfoi
VicPD and province try to stop release of police “use of force” data — Needs More Spikes
VicPD asked the government not to release data showing how its officers used force between 2022 and 2024. The government agreed, but they were overruled by the privacy commissioner. The data shows Vic...
needsmorespikes.com
September 10, 2026 at 2:36 PM
It took 343 days to get this data after VicPD and the province tried to shut it down.
"The study also found participants who reported having drugs seized by police without arrest were three times more likely to experience a non-fatal overdose."
🚨 NEW study: Reports of drug seizures by police rose during first year of decriminalization in Vancouver
via @sfu-fhs.bsky.social:
www.sfu.ca/sfunews/stor... @drugdatadecoded.ca @readthemaple.com
via @sfu-fhs.bsky.social:
www.sfu.ca/sfunews/stor... @drugdatadecoded.ca @readthemaple.com
Reports of drug seizures by police rose during first year of decriminalization, SFU study finds
People in Vancouver experienced an increase in police drug seizures during the first year of British Columbia's drug decriminalization pilot project, according to a Simon Fraser University study.
D...
www.sfu.ca
September 10, 2026 at 1:46 PM
"The study also found participants who reported having drugs seized by police without arrest were three times more likely to experience a non-fatal overdose."
VicPD asked the province not to release any of its use of force data, and they agreed. After multiple appeals, we can now see things like how often VicPD injured people, including people they’ve already jailed, or used force during “wellness checks.” needsmorespikes.com/blog/use-of-... #yyj #cdnfoi
VicPD and province try to stop release of police “use of force” data — Needs More Spikes
VicPD asked the government not to release data showing how its officers used force between 2022 and 2024. The government agreed, but they were overruled by the privacy commissioner. The data shows Vic...
needsmorespikes.com
September 10, 2026 at 4:16 AM
VicPD asked the province not to release any of its use of force data, and they agreed. After multiple appeals, we can now see things like how often VicPD injured people, including people they’ve already jailed, or used force during “wellness checks.” needsmorespikes.com/blog/use-of-... #yyj #cdnfoi
VicPD: "VicPD is always striving to be as transparent and accountable as possible." Also VicPD: Once again breaking the most basic legal requirement to post agendas for their public meetings a week in advance. #yyj
September 9, 2026 at 2:37 PM
VicPD: "VicPD is always striving to be as transparent and accountable as possible." Also VicPD: Once again breaking the most basic legal requirement to post agendas for their public meetings a week in advance. #yyj
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
NEW
A months after incorporating, ROSC Solutions Group had over $70,000,000 in funding from Alberta's UCP government – despite senior officials knowing that the politically connected company was ineligible.
Now, the UCP is stonewalling access to contract records.
drugdatadecoded.ca/alberta-gove...
A months after incorporating, ROSC Solutions Group had over $70,000,000 in funding from Alberta's UCP government – despite senior officials knowing that the politically connected company was ineligible.
Now, the UCP is stonewalling access to contract records.
drugdatadecoded.ca/alberta-gove...
Alberta government refuses to disclose why it gave millions to ROSC Solutions Group
ROSC Solutions Group incorporated in late 2022. By March 2023, it had $70 million in Alberta provincial funding. Now, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction is deflecting requests for information...
drugdatadecoded.ca
September 2, 2026 at 1:15 PM
NEW
A months after incorporating, ROSC Solutions Group had over $70,000,000 in funding from Alberta's UCP government – despite senior officials knowing that the politically connected company was ineligible.
Now, the UCP is stonewalling access to contract records.
drugdatadecoded.ca/alberta-gove...
A months after incorporating, ROSC Solutions Group had over $70,000,000 in funding from Alberta's UCP government – despite senior officials knowing that the politically connected company was ineligible.
Now, the UCP is stonewalling access to contract records.
drugdatadecoded.ca/alberta-gove...
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
I wrote in the latest @defactomedia.ca newsletter about the labour costs in doing accountability journalism.
my last piece for De Facto took hours of work, from the original FOI requests to going through thousands of pages of court documents to...
www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/h...
my last piece for De Facto took hours of work, from the original FOI requests to going through thousands of pages of court documents to...
www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/h...
How we found emails police claimed didn't exist
The challenges & costs of freedom-of-info reporting
www.defactomedia.ca
August 31, 2026 at 2:52 PM
I wrote in the latest @defactomedia.ca newsletter about the labour costs in doing accountability journalism.
my last piece for De Facto took hours of work, from the original FOI requests to going through thousands of pages of court documents to...
www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/h...
my last piece for De Facto took hours of work, from the original FOI requests to going through thousands of pages of court documents to...
www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/h...
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
this happened on July 11.
the VPD are claiming that despite being run over and taken to hospital, the person’s injuries were not serious so there was no need to inform the IIO.
And the BC-EHS (a provincial agency) is in on this cover-up.
How incredibly disturbing
#vanpoli
the VPD are claiming that despite being run over and taken to hospital, the person’s injuries were not serious so there was no need to inform the IIO.
And the BC-EHS (a provincial agency) is in on this cover-up.
How incredibly disturbing
#vanpoli
August 28, 2026 at 7:28 PM
this happened on July 11.
the VPD are claiming that despite being run over and taken to hospital, the person’s injuries were not serious so there was no need to inform the IIO.
And the BC-EHS (a provincial agency) is in on this cover-up.
How incredibly disturbing
#vanpoli
the VPD are claiming that despite being run over and taken to hospital, the person’s injuries were not serious so there was no need to inform the IIO.
And the BC-EHS (a provincial agency) is in on this cover-up.
How incredibly disturbing
#vanpoli
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
SD61 Board: “We are concerned about the possibility of financial benefits being provided to one or more individuals who opposed the Board’s stance on School Police Liaison Officers, as well as transactions occurring outside normal operating processes."
www.sd61.bc.ca/news-events/... #yyj #bcPoli
www.sd61.bc.ca/news-events/... #yyj #bcPoli
Back to school update from the Board
www.sd61.bc.ca
August 28, 2026 at 9:22 PM
SD61 Board: “We are concerned about the possibility of financial benefits being provided to one or more individuals who opposed the Board’s stance on School Police Liaison Officers, as well as transactions occurring outside normal operating processes."
www.sd61.bc.ca/news-events/... #yyj #bcPoli
www.sd61.bc.ca/news-events/... #yyj #bcPoli
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
Calgary police behaving like ICE using immigration status to crack down on protests ⬇️ this is a national scandal
A hearty morning eat shit to the Calgary police.
12 international students at Calgary protest referred to CBSA office after status check | CBC News
A dozen people who took part in a weeks-long international student protest in northeast Calgary have been flagged as "being possibly inadmissible" and, according to an immigration lawyer, could be for...
www.cbc.ca
August 14, 2026 at 11:57 AM
Calgary police behaving like ICE using immigration status to crack down on protests ⬇️ this is a national scandal
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
SCOOP
It took nearly two years, but I finally obtained 650 pages of internal correspondence detailing the steps Health Canada took to disappear the Expert Advisory Group reports on medicalized safe supply and compassion clubs.
drugdatadecoded.ca/how-health-c...
It took nearly two years, but I finally obtained 650 pages of internal correspondence detailing the steps Health Canada took to disappear the Expert Advisory Group reports on medicalized safe supply and compassion clubs.
drugdatadecoded.ca/how-health-c...
Anatomy of a hush-up: How Health Canada buried the safe supply expert reviews
After a nearly two-year access to information process, Drug Data Decoded has obtained the correspondence detailing steps taken inside Health Canada to ensure the Expert Advisory Group reports on medic...
drugdatadecoded.ca
August 11, 2026 at 12:36 PM
SCOOP
It took nearly two years, but I finally obtained 650 pages of internal correspondence detailing the steps Health Canada took to disappear the Expert Advisory Group reports on medicalized safe supply and compassion clubs.
drugdatadecoded.ca/how-health-c...
It took nearly two years, but I finally obtained 650 pages of internal correspondence detailing the steps Health Canada took to disappear the Expert Advisory Group reports on medicalized safe supply and compassion clubs.
drugdatadecoded.ca/how-health-c...
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
School liaison officers give a lot of presentations to students, but they don’t make them available. I’ve created a repository of the presentations given by VicPD, Saanich PD and Oak Bay PD. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/slo-rec... #yyj #cdnfoi 🧵
Download SD61 school liaison officer presentations — Needs More Spikes
School liaison officers give a lot of presentations to students, but they don’t make them available. You can download them here.
www.needsmorespikes.com
August 7, 2026 at 3:06 PM
School liaison officers give a lot of presentations to students, but they don’t make them available. I’ve created a repository of the presentations given by VicPD, Saanich PD and Oak Bay PD. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/slo-rec... #yyj #cdnfoi 🧵
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
During the height of the school liaison battle with trustees (that we learned included surreptitious coordination between VicPD and an ADM), I learned from my son that Mia Golden gave a presentation on "grooming" to Vic High students. Asked for a copy of the presentation. School, Golden refused.
August 7, 2026 at 7:33 PM
During the height of the school liaison battle with trustees (that we learned included surreptitious coordination between VicPD and an ADM), I learned from my son that Mia Golden gave a presentation on "grooming" to Vic High students. Asked for a copy of the presentation. School, Golden refused.
School liaison officers give a lot of presentations to students, but they don’t make them available. I’ve created a repository of the presentations given by VicPD, Saanich PD and Oak Bay PD. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/slo-rec... #yyj #cdnfoi 🧵
Download SD61 school liaison officer presentations — Needs More Spikes
School liaison officers give a lot of presentations to students, but they don’t make them available. You can download them here.
www.needsmorespikes.com
August 7, 2026 at 3:06 PM
School liaison officers give a lot of presentations to students, but they don’t make them available. I’ve created a repository of the presentations given by VicPD, Saanich PD and Oak Bay PD. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/slo-rec... #yyj #cdnfoi 🧵
Reposted by Stephen Harrison
I’d call it unbelievable if it weren’t so very very believable
RCMP officers ‘intentionally’ set home ablaze during tense standoff, court documents reveal
A house fire that erupted during an armed standoff in B.C.’s Lower Mainland three years ago was “intentionally” ignited by RCMP officers on scene, court documents have revealed.
www.ctvnews.ca
July 21, 2026 at 6:30 PM
I’d call it unbelievable if it weren’t so very very believable
There’s a #yyj police board meeting at 5:00 pm. VicPD’s OT has cost $355,000 more than they planned for the first half of the year ($3M so far; should’ve been $2.6M). Will follow along here. Agenda: www.vicpd.ca/Police%20Boa... Stream: www.youtube.com/@victoriaesq... #vicpdboard 🧵
July 21, 2026 at 11:50 PM
There’s a #yyj police board meeting at 5:00 pm. VicPD’s OT has cost $355,000 more than they planned for the first half of the year ($3M so far; should’ve been $2.6M). Will follow along here. Agenda: www.vicpd.ca/Police%20Boa... Stream: www.youtube.com/@victoriaesq... #vicpdboard 🧵
“I’m certain that crashing into a moving scooter, with a driver who was arrestable for failing to comply with a release order, carrying an unknown passenger, is not standard or acceptable police practice,” the judge said. Unacceptable, yes, but otherwise I wouldn't be so sure.
Video shows Toronto cop ramming car into men on e-scooter. Judge tosses gun evidence after officer convicted of assault
Video shows Toronto cop ramming car into men on e-scooter. Judge tosses gun evidence after officer convicted of assault
The decision to drive an unmarked car into the two men was a "substantial and grave" breach of Charter rights, a judge found.
www.thestar.com
July 15, 2026 at 2:57 PM
“I’m certain that crashing into a moving scooter, with a driver who was arrestable for failing to comply with a release order, carrying an unknown passenger, is not standard or acceptable police practice,” the judge said. Unacceptable, yes, but otherwise I wouldn't be so sure.
Good reporting on some of the types of hidden barriers put up by public bodies to limit access to records. VPD regularly engages in various FOI shenanigans, contrary to their legal responsibility to assist applicants. #cdnfoi
as DULF dominated the news cycle, and as they planned their high profile raid, the VPD claimed in FOI responses that no emails about DULF were sent to or from several senior officers
for two of those officers, that wasn't true
@defactomedia.ca
www.defactomedia.ca/vpd-emails-f...
for two of those officers, that wasn't true
@defactomedia.ca
www.defactomedia.ca/vpd-emails-f...
VPD claimed no emails sent to or from senior cops about compassion club ahead of raid. That’s untrue
Freedom-of-information advocates say force's non-response likely broke BC’s transparency law — and ask if Vancouver police should undergo ‘greater scrutiny’ for public transparency
www.defactomedia.ca
July 13, 2026 at 11:37 PM
Good reporting on some of the types of hidden barriers put up by public bodies to limit access to records. VPD regularly engages in various FOI shenanigans, contrary to their legal responsibility to assist applicants. #cdnfoi