Police given 45-minute training video and infographics as decriminalization set to begin in B.C.
A day before possession of small amounts of certain illicit drugs is temporarily decriminalized, about a third of B.C.'s frontline police officers have completed the first phase of training on how to implement the new rules.
During a technical briefing Monday, reporters learned the province has developed a 45-minute recorded presentation on the decriminalization pilot project as part of the first phase of training for the province's more than 9,000 officers on the streets.
The three-year B.C. pilot, which launches Tuesday, allows for personal possession of up to 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA.
Officers have also been given infographics and photographs illustrating what 2.5 grams of drugs might look like.
About a third of frontline police have gone through this first step in a two-step training process, and officials expect the majority will have an opportunity to complete both phases in the next couple of months.
The province has not made the training mandatory for officers, but many of B.C.'s largest police departments have, including the RCMP and the Vancouver Police Department.
Beginning Tuesday, officers will be expected not to seize or confiscate drugs below the threshold from adults. Instead, they'll be asked to provide information on health and social supports, as well as treatment and recovery options.
