Reference Sheet — Canadian & International Legal Documents (Police, Rights, & Human Rights)

This document provides a concise index of selected Canadian provincial, federal, and international legal materials relevant to policing, civil liberties, and human rights.

---

1. Alberta — Legislation & Legal Framework

Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act (SCAN)

Jurisdiction: Alberta
Area: Nuisance property control
Purpose: Enables authorities to address properties used for criminal activity (e.g., drugs, prostitution, gang activity).
Mechanism: Administrative (civil) remedies rather than criminal prosecution.

Police Act (Alberta)

Jurisdiction: Alberta
Area: Governance of police services
Purpose: Establishes creation, oversight, powers, and standards for municipal police services and commissions.
Relevance: Governs CPS structure, complaints, and discipline.

Police Service Regulation (Alberta)

Jurisdiction: Alberta
Area: Regulatory standards under the Police Act
Purpose: Details processes for appointment, training, equipment, discipline, and complaint handling.

---

2. Calgary Police Service — Policies & Review Documents

CPS Policy & Procedure Manual

Area: Operational governance
Purpose: Internal guidance for CPS members on procedures, conduct, and operations.
Note: Publicly available versions may be abridged.

CPS Use of Force Independent Review

Area: Public accountability
Purpose: Third-party analysis of CPS use-of-force practices, highlighting compliance, deficiencies, and recommendations.

CPS Professional Standards (Complaint Process)

Area: Police accountability
Purpose: Outlines public complaints, professional misconduct review, and investigative pathways.

Calgary Police Commission — Suitability Review Process

Area: Oversight
Purpose: Describes commission oversight functions and criteria used to evaluate CPS leadership and practices.

---

3. British Columbia — Policing Legislation & Standards

Police Act (BC)

Jurisdiction: British Columbia
Area: Policing governance
Purpose: Establishes police services, municipal/regional policing structures, and complaints process.
Notes: BC uses a combination of municipal police forces and RCMP.

BC Provincial Policing Standards

Area: Operational standards (binding)
Purpose: Sets mandatory standards across categories (e.g., use of force, custody, critical incidents).
Legal Status: Ministerial standards; enforceable on police agencies.

Example: Police Stops Standard

Area: Civil rights / street encounters
Purpose: Defines acceptable grounds for police stops, documentation, bias constraints, and accountability.

---

4. Federal — Constitutional & Human Rights

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Jurisdiction: Canada (constitutional)
Area: Civil liberties
Purpose: Constitutionally protects fundamental freedoms, legal rights in criminal process, mobility, democratic rights, and equality.
Legal Weight: Supreme; overrides conflicting federal/provincial statutes.
Relevance to policing: Search/seizure, detention, counsel, arbitrary detention, etc.

Canadian Human Rights Act

Jurisdiction: Federal
Area: Civil discrimination law
Purpose: Prohibits discrimination by federal institutions and federally-regulated sectors (e.g., banks, telecom, federal workplaces).
Mechanism: Complaints handled by the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

---

5. International Human Rights — United Nations

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

Authority: UN General Assembly (1948)
Purpose: Global human rights framework recognizing dignity, liberty, fair trial, expression, etc.
Legal Status: Not binding itself, but foundational to treaties and customary international law.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

Authority: United Nations (1966; Canada is a party)
Purpose: Legally binding treaty protecting rights related to due process, fair trial, expression, privacy, and humane treatment.
Relevance: Influences Canadian constitutional interpretation.

Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials

Authority: UN (1979)
Purpose: Sets ethical standards for police worldwide regarding necessity, proportionality, human dignity, and non-discrimination.

---

Usage Context

This collection may be relevant for:

• Legal research & complaint procedures
• Policing accountability & oversight
• Civil rights & constitutional challenges
• Academic or investigative documentation
• UN treaty compliance analysis

Documents span municipal, provincial, federal, and international levels, forming a layered legal perspective on policing, rights, and state power.