Cut cops, build housing: B.C. rights commissioner

British Columbia's human rights commissioner says cutting the number of police officers and using the money saved to build affordable housing should be considered by a legislature committee looking at changing the Police Act.

Kasari Govender says the fight against systemic racism in policing should also prompt changes to both the Police Act and the Human Rights Code to ensure protection of those most vulnerable to discrimination.

Govender told the all-party committee appointed to review the 45-year-old Police Act that race-based data should be collected to help eliminate systemic racism in policing.

The homeless, Indigenous Peoples and those living in poverty have far more interactions with police, which Govender says should lead to amendments of the Human Rights Code to give those people added protection and access to justice when dealing with officers.

She says the committee should consider the "de-tasking" of police, where possible, and using the savings to build affordable housing for people who are destitute, homeless or mentally ill.

NDP legislature member Rachna Singh called Govender's presentation "extremely powerful."