Will the RCMP Be Held Accountable for Killing Vanessa Rentería?

The tragic killing of Vanessa Rentería by the RCMP raises serious questions about police accountability and systemic failures in responding to vulnerable individuals. Vanessa, a young mother and newcomer to Canada, was fatally shot by officers in Surrey, BC, after they wrongfully characterized her as “barricaded” in a room with a weapon and suggested she posed a threat to her one-and-a-half-year-old baby. This narrative, however, demands scrutiny, as Vanessa’s actions were more likely driven by fear and a desire to protect herself and her baby.

The circumstances surrounding her killing highlight glaring concerns about the role of systemic biases, police impunity, and the lack of adequate resources for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV)…especially victims who are Black, Indigenous, or racialized.

Central to the case is the language barrier Vanessa faced. As a Spanish speaker, there is no evidence that the RCMP provided an interpreter or whether their commands were delivered in a language she did not fully understand. This raises the probability that Vanessa did not understand that the people outside her door were police and as a refugee from Colombia what their intentions were. Furthermore, the fact that Vanessa had recently escaped an abusive home and stayed in an IPV shelter suggests a history of trauma that likely informed her perception of danger. Her decision to position herself and her daughter in a room is more likely have been an act of protection, not aggression—a response to fears of further harm to herself or her child.

The RCMP’s handling of the situation also raises questions about protocol and intent. This suggests prior knowledge of a potentially volatile situation, but instead of de-escalating, officers escalated the encounter. Body camera footage should be made available, to provide critical insights into what transpired, but there are legitimate concerns about whether this footage will be released to the public. Historically, police agencies in Canada have demonstrated a pattern of withholding information in similar cases, which further erodes public trust in their accountability mechanisms.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), tasked with investigating police-involved deaths, will play a pivotal role in determining what led to Vanessa’s killing. However, the IIO’s track record in ensuring transparency and justice in cases involving racialized individuals and marginalized communities leaves much to be desired. As public faith in these investigations remains low, there is widespread skepticism about whether the full truth will emerge and whether any meaningful consequences will follow for the officers involved.

The IIO of British Columbia is a civilian-led agency responsible for investigating incidents of police-involved deaths and serious injuries. Established in 2012 in response to growing public demand for independent oversight of police actions, the IIO operates under the Police Act and is established to ensure accountability and transparency in law enforcement.

The IIO’s mandate is to investigate whether a police officer’s actions or omissions may have contributed to a serious injury or death, regardless of whether the individual affected was a civilian, a suspect, or a third party. By focusing on police-involved incidents, the IIO is intended to provide an independent assessment that separates criminal investigations involving police from internal police department reviews.

1. Conducting Investigations: The IIO is tasked with examining incidents where police actions result in death or serious harm. This includes cases involving the RCMP, municipal police forces, and Indigenous police services in British Columbia.
2. Determining Criminal Liability: The office evaluates whether police officers breached criminal laws in the course of their duties. If evidence supports criminal charges, the IIO forwards its findings to the Crown Counsel for prosecution.
3. Ensuring Independence: As a civilian-led organization, the IIO is designed to operate free from police interference, with civilian investigators leading all inquiries and making decisions.
4. Building Public Trust: The IIO plays a critical role in addressing concerns about police accountability, particularly in incidents involving marginalized or racialized communities, by providing independent oversight.

While the IIO’s existence signals progress in police oversight, concerns remain about its transparency, impartiality, and effectiveness. Critics have pointed to the lack of timely disclosure of findings, limited resources, and challenges in compelling police cooperation during investigations. Additionally, its reliance on existing police systems for evidence collection and the perceived lack of accountability in certain rulings have raised questions about its capacity to deliver justice, particularly in high-stakes cases involving systemic racism and the use of force.

As public scrutiny of police conduct continues to grow, the IIO’s role in fostering accountability remains vital. However, its ability to build trust in marginalized communities and address systemic barriers within law enforcement will require ongoing reforms, greater transparency, and strengthened independence.

The possibility that police and the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) may have investigated the scene of Vanessa Rentería’s killing together raises critical concerns about the independence and transparency of the investigative process.

The IIO is mandated to investigate police actions that result in death or serious harm to determine whether an officer’s use of force or other conduct violated the law. This mandate relies on the principle of independence to ensure that investigations are free from bias or influence by the police agency involved.

1. Compromised Independence:
   • Investigating alongside the RCMP undermines the perceived and actual independence of the IIO. Collaboration at the scene could lead to accusations of undue influence, bias, or the prioritization of police narratives over objective evidence.

2. Evidence Preservation and Credibility:
   • Shared investigation efforts may risk compromising the integrity of evidence. Questions may arise about whether evidence was collected or analyzed impartially, especially in cases involving police use of deadly force.

3. Conflicts of Interest:
   • While the IIO employs civilian investigators, their frequent collaboration with police agencies could create a conflict of interest, particularly if former police officers are involved in IIO operations. This raises concerns about the potential for implicit bias.

4. Transparency and Public Trust:
   • Joint investigations diminish public trust, particularly among communities disproportionately affected by police violence, such as racialized, Indigenous, and newcomer communities. For Vanessa Rentería’s family and the broader public, such collaboration could reinforce perceptions of systemic failures in holding police accountable.

5. Precedent of Police Impunity:
   • Given the history of police impunity in cases of violence against racialized individuals, the optics of a joint investigation send a troubling message. This is especially critical in a case like Vanessa’s, where the circumstances of her killing involve significant questions about police tactics, communication, and use of force.

The IIO must reaffirm its independence by ensuring no direct collaboration with police agencies under investigation. Measures such as the presence of independent civilian witnesses during evidence collection and the complete segregation of investigative processes are essential to maintaining the integrity of its findings. Transparency in disclosing investigative methods and providing access to body camera footage, if available, are also vital to building trust in the outcome.

Vanessa Rentería’s case exemplifies the need for independent and transparent investigations into police-involved killings to ensure accountability and justice, especially for racialized and marginalized communities.

Vanessa’s death must serve as a wake-up call to reevaluate how law enforcement engages with survivors of violence, racialized communities, and newcomers. Her story is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of systemic failings where police responses exacerbate harm rather than provide safety. To honour her memory, we must demand transparency, justice, and systemic change to ensure that no other family endures such a tragic and preventable loss. Will the RCMP be held accountable? The public and Vanessa’s community deserve answers—and justice.

The Colour of Violence report written by BWSS has illuminated the stark disparities in police responses to Black, Indigenous, and racialized survivors of gender-based violence. Unlike their white counterparts, these survivors often encounter systemic barriers rooted in racial bias, colonial legacies, and discriminatory practices within law enforcement. The research revealed that police responses to racialized survivors frequently range from neglect and disbelief to overt criminalization, creating an environment of mistrust and fear. Black and Indigenous survivors, in particular, are more likely to be dismissed, treated as perpetrators rather than victims, or subjected to excessive force, exacerbating the trauma they face. This inequity reflects broader patterns of systemic racism and highlights the urgent need for anti-racist, survivor-centered reforms in how law enforcement engages with communities disproportionately affected by GBV.

Police involvement in domestic violence or “disputes” can sometimes lead to the arrest or even the death of victims, highlighting the troubling dynamics of law enforcement’s role in these situations. Mandatory arrest policies, often intended to protect survivors, can result in the criminalization of victims, especially those who are racialized or who have defended themselves against violence. Police responses are often shaped by systemic biases, stereotyping survivors as aggressors or failing to identify the context of abuse. In extreme cases, such as the tragic killing of Vanessa Rentería, police mischaracterizations and escalation of situations have led to fatal outcomes. This demonstrates that for some survivors, particularly Black, Indigenous, and racialized women, seeking police intervention in domestic violence incidents carries the risk of further harm or fatal consequences.