MEDIA RELEASE
February 12, 2015
Legislative Assembly - Province of British Columbia
VICTORIA – The all-party Special Committee to Appoint a Police Complaint Commissioner has unanimously recommended the reappointment of Stan T. Lowe as Police Complaint Commissioner for British Columbia. The committee’s recommendation is included in a report presented today in the Legislative Assembly.
“The committee conducted a review of Mr. Lowe’s work and achievements since his appointment as Police Complaint Commissioner in February 2009,” said Committee Chair John Martin. “We are confident that his background and experience as Commissioner will ensure continued leadership for this important position.”
“We were impressed by Mr. Lowe’s record of public service and his work as Police Complaint Commissioner since 2009,” added Deputy Chair Jennifer Rice. “We look forward to his continued work in strengthening the management, professionalization, and public engagement of the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.”
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner serves the people of British Columbia by providing impartial civilian oversight of public complaints of misconduct involving municipal police.
Pursuant to the Police Act, the Legislative Assembly appoints a person to be Police Complaint Commissioner based on the unanimous recommendation of a parliamentary committee. In 2009, legislation was passed to allow for the reappointment of the current Commissioner for a second term with a period of up to four years. Following adoption of the Committee’s report, the Legislative Assembly proceeded to reappoint Mr. Lowe for a full four year term, effective March 1, 2015.
Bio attached.
The members of the Special Committee to Appoint a Police Complaint Commissioner are:
John Martin, MLA Chilliwack (chair);
Jennifer Rice, MLA North Coast;
Mike Farnworth, MLA Port Coquitlam;
Eric Foster, MLA Vernon-Monashee;
Marvin Hunt, MLA Surrey-Panorama;
The report is available on the committee website at:
https://www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentary-business/committees/40thparliament-3rdsession-pcc or by contacting:
Kate Ryan-Lloyd
Deputy Clerk and Clerk of Committees
Room 224, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4
Telephone: 250 356-2933
Toll-free: 1-877-428-8337
Fax: 250 356-8172
Email: ClerkComm@leg.bc.ca
Biographical Information - Stan T. Lowe
Stan T. Lowe was born in Calgary and moved to Vancouver in 1985 to attend law school at the University of British Columbia. He obtained his law degree in 1988, was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1989, and began his legal career with Davis & Company in Vancouver.
Mr. Lowe joined the Vancouver Crown Counsel office in 1990 in pursuit of a career in the courtroom. In June 1991, he joined the Victoria Crown Counsel office on Vancouver Island. Mr. Lowe’s family had early roots in that community, as both his father and grandmother were born and raised in Victoria’s Chinatown. In the early 1900s, his grandfather worked as a cook at various establishments, including the CP Empress Hotel.
In 1996, Mr. Lowe joined the Major Crimes Prosecutions Unit for Vancouver Island, and for nine years he prosecuted primarily murder cases. During this period, he liaised with numerous municipal police departments and the RCMP. During his tenure in the Major Crimes Unit, he also participated in the Provincial Residential School Prosecutions Project where he had conduct of a prosecution involving multiple victims who attended Kuper Island Residential School in the 1960s. In 2005, he became Communications Counsel for the Criminal Justice Branch, serving as a member of Executive Branch Management, where he shared his expertise in a number of areas.
Throughout his 25 years as a public servant, Mr. Lowe has been a guest lecturer on legal topics related to police training including the Major Crime Investigators Course, Senior Investigators Course, and Undercover Operations Course. He has also lectured to professional standards officers in BC on the law regarding the use of force and served as the President of the Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement.
Since his appointment as Police Complaint Commissioner for British Columbia in February 2009, Mr. Lowe has expanded the use of alternative dispute resolution at the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, helping complainants and officers to reach fair outcomes and providing participants with more positive and meaningful outcomes.
Mr. Lowe’s primary objective remains to promote both public and police confidence in the police complaint process and to improve the public perception of policing through an oversight system which demonstrates that police are able to professionally address complaints and uphold a high standard of professional conduct.
Mr. Lowe and his wife Christine have three daughters.
