The province’s independent watchdog will not be investigating a Vancouver cyclist’s police brutality claim because it’s not within their mandate.
B.C.’s Independent Investigations Office (IIO) will not probe Andishae Akhavan’s allegation of police misconduct because there was no death or serious harm involved, director Richard Rosenthal told News 1130.
The IIO was established in 2012 to investigate criminal incidents involving police in B.C.
On Tuesday night, a plainclothes Vancouver officer was caught on video punching Akhavan during an arrest. Akhavan was stopped for riding his bike through a red light in the city's Yaletown neighbourhood.
In an interesting twist, The Vancouver Sun reported that the officer, Ismail Bhabha, received a bravery award five years ago from the British Transport Police Federation.
Bhabha was off duty when he helped a woman and her daughter who were being harassed by a man in a London Underground station. The man lunged at Bhabha and bit his face, leaving him with a severe facial wound.
The Professional Standards Section of the Vancouver police is looking into Tuesday's arrest. Bhabha is currently on regularly scheduled leave.
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