B.C. Mountie files harassment suit against force
Court documents allege harassment, workplace of 'fear and control'
CBC News
Posted: Dec 6, 2011 11:18 AM PT
Last Updated: Dec 6, 2011 7:01 PM PT
Related
Related Links
Another B.C. Mountie has come forward with damaging allegations against the national police force.
Cpl. Elisabeth Couture has filed a lawsuit against her superiors, complaining harassment pushed her to take stress leave.
In court documents filed Dec. 1, Couture alleges the trouble started when she was promoted to the RCMP's Drugs and Organized Crime Awareness Service in 2009. The unit consists of a team of corporals stationed throughout B.C. who are responsible for coordinating and training police officers in dealing with drugs and organized crime.
Couture claims contact between co-workers was discouraged, all conversations between colleagues had to be approved in advance by management and was warned against so-called "rumour-mongering."
Emails, phone calls monitored
The documents go on to say "chit chat" was strongly discouraged, and Couture was asked not to extend morning greetings beyond a basic "Hello." Couture also claims she was called "too wordy" and told to communicate with her superiors in one minute or less.
She claims she was discouraged from leaving the office for lunch unless she went with a superior, discouraged from drinking socially and says her emails and phone calls were monitored.
At one point, Couture alleges, she was told how other corporals not conforming to the unit's expectations were disciplined —and "understood the conversations as a threat."
Couture says the atmosphere of "fear and control" pushed her to the breaking point, and she started experiencing "daily symptoms of anxiety and panic upon arriving at work, including heart palpitations, sweating and clammy hands." The documents say she had to breathe deeply in order to calm herself before entering the office.
The documents say Couture went off duty sick on Sept. 15, 2010, after experiencing "a panic attack and high anxiety while en route to work," and say she remains off duty and is unlikely to return.
The RCMP has not yet filed a statement of defence.
Harassment not tolerated
Last month, several B.C. Mounties came forward with allegations of harassment inside the force.
Both Catherine Galliford and Krista Carle told CBC News they were subject to sexual harassment at the hands of their superiors.
Galliford also made several claims about the investigation into serial killer Robert Pickton, saying the investigators were indifferent.
The claims prompted Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and new RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson to ask for an investigation into harassment allegations at the national police force.
Paulson warned RCMP supervisors to deal swiftly with allegations of harassment involving female officers.
Paulson said blatant harassment won't be tolerated, and he wants supervisors to take quick action to deal with allegations of improper treatment of female staff in their detachments.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- Ryder Hesjedal wins prestigious Giro d'Italia
- Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal has become the first Canadian to win one of the cycling world's three Grand Tour events, wrapping up the 2012 Giro d'Italia with an excellent performance in the final stage in Milan. more »
- Surrey RCMP seek hit-run driver
- Police are looking for a light-coloured Chrysler with damage to the driver's front side after a pedestrian was hit in Surrey, B.C., early Sunday morning. more »
- B.C. man who scaled Everest returns home
- A Vancouver man who climbed the world's highest mountain is back home and talking about the adventure. more »
- Fort Langley restaurant damaged in fire
- A sushi restaurant in Fort Langley, B.C., was damaged in a fire early Sunday morning. more »
Top News Headlines
- Canadian Pacific strikers face back-to-work legislation
- Labour Minister Lisa Raitt is prepared to end the Canadian Pacific Railway strike if necessary, after both CP and the union rejected a proposal for voluntary arbitration by the government-appointed negotiator on Sunday. Raitt says she is "extremely disappointed." more »
- Syrian regime denies role in Houla massacre
- The UN Security Council condemned the Syrian regime at an emergency meeting Sunday, holding president Bashar al-Assad's military responsible for the massacre of more than 100 people, dozens of whom were children younger than 10 years old. more »
- Ryder Hesjedal wins prestigious Giro d'Italia
- Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal has become the first Canadian to win one of the cycling world's three Grand Tour events, wrapping up the 2012 Giro d'Italia with an excellent performance in the final stage in Milan. more »
- Neighbour may have helped find missing kids in Mexico
- Two Winnipeg children who had been missing for nearly four years were found in Mexico after a man raised concerns about his neighbour, according to a private investigator. more »
- B.C. NDP calls for unity in fighting coast guard closure
- Surrey RCMP seek hit-run driver
- B.C. man who scaled Everest returns home
- Fort Langley restaurant damaged in fire
- Passengers' families sue for fatal B.C. plane crash
- B.C. Coast Guard Auxiliary gets new name
- Tsunami motorcycle heading to Harley museum
- Psych ward escapes worry neighbours
- Gang forum honours Surrey 6 victim

