Police Watchdog Finds Vancouver Officers Committed Misconduct in Harrison Case
The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner in British Columbia has released a significant decision regarding the investigation into the disappearance of Tatyanna Harrison, a twenty-year-old Indigenous woman whose tragic case has drawn public attention. The watchdog organization determined that two Vancouver Police Department officers failed to meet professional standards during their initial handling of the missing person report.
Systemic Failures in High-Risk Missing Person Case
According to the detailed findings, the officers committed misconduct by neglecting to conduct a proper missing person's risk assessment when Harrison was first reported missing in the spring of 2022. This failure occurred despite clear indicators that Harrison represented a high-risk case requiring immediate and thorough police attention.
Tatyanna Harrison was reported missing by her mother, Natasha Harrison, on May 3, 2022, after family members had not heard from her since March of that year. Police records indicate Harrison had recently relocated from Surrey to Vancouver and last contacted her mother via text message from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside on March 24, 2022.
Vulnerabilities Overlooked by Investigators
The OPCC decision reveals that Sergeant N, who was a constable at the time of the investigation, failed to include crucial vulnerability factors in his assessment. These factors included Harrison's status as a young Indigenous woman living a transient lifestyle with documented issues related to illicit drug use and mental health challenges.
Despite these evident risk factors, Sergeant N reportedly stated that he considered the relevant concerns "manageable" and not requiring immediate attention. This judgment led to Harrison not being classified as a "high risk missing person," a designation that would have triggered more urgent investigative measures.
Supervisory Oversight Also Found Deficient
The investigation further determined that Sergeant W, who served as Sergeant N's supervisor during the initial investigation, failed to properly review the risk assessment before recording the file as "not high risk." Both officers have denied allegations of public breach of trust through neglect of duty in connection with their involvement in the case.
The OPCC decision identifies the officers only by letters, referring to them as Sergeant N and Sergeant W throughout the document. This practice is standard in such proceedings to protect privacy while maintaining accountability.
Tragic Outcome and Family Response
Harrison's body was discovered on a dry-docked yacht in Richmond on May 2, 2022, though positive identification was not confirmed until August of that year. Initial police statements indicated she died from a lethal dose of fentanyl, but the coroner's office later determined her death resulted from sepsis.
In a statement released Monday, Natasha Harrison expressed profound disappointment with the police response to her daughter's disappearance. "Tatyanna was vulnerable and at high risk for harm; she needed to be considered high priority by law enforcement, she needed immediate action by law enforcement," Harrison stated.
She continued with a powerful indictment of systemic failures: "This was the beginning of the systemic failures in my daughter's case. In order for things to change, truth and accountability is required. Every moment spent in delayed response is evidence lost in a proper investigation. Human life should always be your top priority."
Broader Implications for Police Procedures
This case highlights ongoing concerns about police responsiveness to missing person reports involving vulnerable populations, particularly Indigenous women. The OPCC findings underscore the critical importance of proper risk assessment protocols and the potentially devastating consequences when such procedures are not followed.
The decision serves as a formal acknowledgment of procedural failures that may have contributed to delays in the investigation. While the officers involved have contested the allegations, the watchdog's determination establishes an official record of misconduct that could influence future police training and protocol development.
As communities across British Columbia continue to grapple with issues of police accountability and responsiveness to vulnerable populations, the Tatyanna Harrison case represents both a specific tragedy and a broader call for systemic improvement in how law enforcement agencies handle missing person investigations involving high-risk individuals.
