Vancouver police have created their first policy to consider the culture and religion of people officers are searching.
The policy covers First Nation medicine bags, Muslim burqa, hijab, niqab or covering veils, Sikh turbans and kirpans, and Jewish phylactery or tefillin boxes.
“These items may pose unique considerations for members when balancing the need to ensure safety, enforce the law and conduct criminal investigations with preserving the person’s dignity and respecting the sanctity of their culture,” the policy said, adding that officers are to use their own discretion at each scene to ensure their safety.
The new policy suggests officers allow First Nations people being searched to open their own medicine bags for examination whenever possible, and allow aboriginal people to keep their medicine bags while in custody. The bags often contain stones, herbs and other objects, and are intended to only be handled by their owners or a First Nations elder.
“Many aboriginal cultures prescribe that women in particular should not touch the contents of a medicine bag due to the belief that women are far more spiritually powerful than men, and even simply viewing the contents of a bag will alter their efficacy,” the policy reads.
“Therefore, members should make efforts to have a male officer preside over the examination of the medicine bag.”
Covering veils should only be unveiled to close family. The policy suggests that female officers conduct searches, in private.
Searches involving Sikh turbans and kirpans — a religious sword — should be done in a private location, and turbans should be given back to the arrested person while being transported to police custody, the policy says.
Kirpans will not be allowed to be kept by anyone arrested, however.
Jewish phylacteries or tefillins are boxes containing parchment prayer scrolls, attached to the forearm and forehead. The policy suggests that care be taken to make sure the boxes and scrolls aren’t damaged, and those searched should be allowed to keep their boxes afterwards.
Additionally, some Jewish women may wear veils or wigs to cover their hair. The policy suggests searches be done in private, by a female officer, and the covering should be returned to the women, even while in custody.
Two other policies are being proposed to the Vancouver Police Board on Thursday, including a policy on how to interact with transgender people, and a policy on how to interact with those without immigration status.