106 B.C. police officers guilty of misconduct in past 2 years: CBC investigation
Last Updated: Thursday, November 6, 2008 | 12:14 PM PT
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Sexual advances to superiors' wives, drunk driving and consorting with criminals are among 106 proven cases of misconduct of municipal police officers in B.C. over the past two years, CBC News has learned.
Eight of the officers were to be fired but resigned before their disciplinary proceedings began or ended, according to a report by the British Columbia Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.
CBC News requested that the office compile the data to find out how many police officers in B.C. conducted themselves inappropriately on the job. The figures include various municipal police forces in the province but not the RCMP.
Of the eight cases in which officers were to be fired, the majority involved dishonesty and cheating, although in one case the officer was caught accessing child pornography, the report says.
In one case, "the officer had disclosed confidential information to an individual suspected of criminal activity."
The officer's rank was reduced for one year, and he had to get remedial training and work under close supervision during that period. A public hearing was ordered, but the officer resigned before the hearing began.
17 officers resigned; 8 were to be fired
In total, 17 officers resigned after being found guilty of misconduct.
The 106 proven cases of police misconduct were recorded between Oct. 1, 2006, and Oct. 1, 2008. They resulted from "substantiated allegations" filed directly to or being referred to the B.C. police complaint commissioner's office.
The maximum recommended disciplinary measure — outside of dismissal — was a five-day suspension without pay for a hit-and-run case. In that case, the officer, although off-duty when the crash occurred, fled the scene on foot. The officer was later charged with impaired driving and hit and run.
In another case, "while off-duty and highly intoxicated," an officer "made inappropriate sexual advances towards the wives of two senior officers." The officer received "managerial advice" and voluntarily enrolled in an alcohol counselling program.
Another off-duty officer "was rude and abusive to a female staff member at a night club" while intoxicated. That incident did not warrant disciplinary measures, the commissioner decided.
Misuse, accidental discharge of firearm
There are five proven cases of misconduct involving drinking and driving.
In one case, "while off-duty, the officer was stopped and issued a 24-hour driving prohibition." A two-day suspension without pay was proposed, but the officer resigned before the disciplinary proceeding concluded.
Several cases of misuse or accidental discharge of firearm were also substantiated.
In one of those cases, "when arresting two males following an altercation at a nightclub, an officer inappropriately took one of the males to the ground with a hip toss and inappropriately deployed his Taser."
The officer was suspended without pay for three days and re-assigned to other duties.
In another case, "during a physical struggle with a suspect, an officer shot the suspect with his firearm."
The proposed punishment was dismissal, but the officer resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings. The suspect in this case recovered fully.
With files from Paisley WoodwardShare Tools
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