Heiltsuk Chief calls for ‘relationship reset’ with police as bank arrest tension continues

There’s a new call for an overhaul between the relationship between police and Indigenous people — from the elected Heiltsuk Nation chief.

It comes as tension continues related to a 2019 wrongful arrest of an Indigenous grandfather and granddaughter at a Vancouver bank.

It was a Bella Bella no-show from the two arresting constables to a Monday evening apology feast — and it hasn’t gone down well.

Now elected Heiltsuk Chief Marilynn Slett wants to sit down with Vancouver’s next mayor Ken Sim to discuss policing — particularly given he will also become chair of the police board — as part of what she calls a “relationship reset.”

“Maybe taking stock of where we’re at,” Slett told CityNews in an interview Tuesday. “You know, the apology ceremony was meant to bring some closure. What transpired and everything else that ensued afterward makes that seem less attainable.”

As for where things stand in connection with the 2019 arrests — the Heiltsuk Nation and the Vancouver Police Union have ongoing disagreements over what apologies have actually taken place.

The nation says no in-person apology has been given, but the union insists the officers apologized in person on the day of the arrest — and have sent letters of apology since.

The Vancouver Police Department did not respond to repeated media requests from CityNews on Tuesday.

Efforts to arrange an interview with Vancouver Police Union president Ralph Kaisers were also unsuccessful — though CityNews was told he is out of town for a conference.