Calls for Greater Transparency in Security Guard Complaints in B.C.

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Accountability advocates in British Columbia are urging for more transparency in how complaints against security guards, particularly serious allegations like excessive use of force and racial discrimination, are managed by the provincial regulator. Concerns have arisen due to a significant portion of complaints resulting in no sanctions against security personnel or companies, as revealed through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and further verified by CBC News.

The available data shows little insight into how complaints, especially those involving serious allegations, are handled. This lack of transparency has prompted activists to call for more detailed reporting and public access to complaint outcomes.

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Inconsistent Reporting and Limited Data

Stephen Harrison, a police accountability activist from Victoria, submitted an FOI request earlier this year after witnessing a disturbing incident involving a security guard. Harrison’s concerns stemmed from the discovery that 67% of complaints made between 2021 and 2023 under the Security Services Regulation resulted in no sanction. This data mirrors a broader issue: the general public lacks access to detailed information about how complaints, especially those involving serious misconduct, are resolved.

Harrison and other advocates argue that the absence of publicly available disciplinary outcomes—common in other provinces like Ontario—makes it difficult to assess whether the complaints process is working effectively.

Notable Cases and Concerns

Recent high-profile cases of excessive force involving B.C. security guards have fueled calls for reform. These cases include a security guard being convicted of manslaughter after placing a mentally ill man in a fatal headlock and another guard pleading guilty to assault after breaking a man’s arm in 2016. Despite these severe incidents, many security-related complaints are not adequately addressed, and few people are even aware of the public complaints process.

Siobhan Barker, an equity and disability justice consultant in Vancouver, emphasized that many individuals are unaware of their rights when interacting with security personnel. Barker, who filed a racial profiling complaint against a Burnaby casino in 2020, said, “It’s really an issue of people becoming aware of their rights and the mechanisms in place to assist them.”

Calls for More Detailed Public Reporting

B.C. currently provides limited public information about security guard complaints, in contrast to Ontario’s security industry regulator, which posts annual reports with complaint and disciplinary data. Harrison and other advocates suggest that B.C. should break down data further, revealing which types of complaints result in sanctions and whether individual security guards are being held accountable.

Harrison also expressed concern that most complaints result in no disciplinary action, stating, “The statistics are showing that your complaints are likely to be dismissed or result in no discipline. The question would be, is this process working? Is this serving the people?”

Regulatory Oversight and Future Scrutiny

Kristin Greffard, owner of Sheepdog Self Protection, provides advanced security training required for B.C. security guards. She acknowledged the growing scrutiny of the profession, noting that security personnel face increasing oversight, similar to the heightened scrutiny law enforcement has received in recent years.

Despite these calls for reform, a spokesperson for B.C.’s Public Safety Ministry said that the current Security Services Act and Security Services Regulation fall under privacy legislation, preventing the public release of complaint outcomes. The ministry emphasized that security workers, unlike police officers, do not possess special rights beyond those of any other citizen in B.C.

While incoming changes to B.C.’s Police Act will not impact the oversight of security guards, concerns regarding use-of-force incidents can still be referred to law enforcement for potential criminal investigations.