The chief of police for the Vancouver Police Department says his department will not use new powers recently granted to police officers to physically force homeless people sleeping on the street inside.

The name of the new legislation is the “Assistance to Shelter Act” and gives the police the right to bring homeless people into shelters against their will.

The BC Civil Liberties Association applauded the move today. Opponents of the legislation believe it infringes on individual rights. Some believe that it is just being used so that the police can clear the homeless off the streets for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. It is still questionable whether or not the legislation would survive a legal challenge under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson, also supported the police department’s decision. “I’ve had some concerns about the Act, and the VPD’s draft policy addresses them — specifically around the use of force,” said Robertson.

Instead, Chief Jim Chu has decided to allow his officers to use “minimal, non-forceful touching” in order to convince homeless individuals to head inside. This kind of physical contact would be comparable to offering a hand to an elderly person crossing a street. The police would back off if there is “overt resistance.”

Chu says that his interpretation of the legislation “achieves a balance between respecting individual rights and helping protect people from extreme weather.”

The BC Housing Minister, Rich Coleman, who wrote the legislation could not be reached for comment. However, a statement released by the Housing Ministry stated that the ministry is satisfied with the police department’s decision.

“The policy that the VPD has put in place appears to be a reasonable interpretation of the Act, and we’re confident the VPD will strengthen their policy once the Province’s regulations under the Act are in place,” read the statement.

The police department’s decision still needs to be approved by the Vancouver Police Board. The approval is expect at a meeting on Wednesday.