Several Vancouver police officers were disciplined over the last year for a series of incidents that ranged from mistakenly discharging a gun in an office to being banned from a casino to sending pornographic text messages to a person.
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner released its annual report this week and it listed a series of incidents involving Vancouver police officers in which they were disciplined. Photograph Chung Chow
Most of the penalties resulted in suspensions and ranged from one day for an officer sending “intimidating” texts to a co-worker to 23 days in the case of the officer sending pornographic messages.
Other officers received written and verbal reprimands.
In one case, an officer was sentenced to a conditional discharge and placed on probation for six months after being convicted on two counts of unsafe storage of a firearm and two counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm.
A civilian member of the VPD also complained of being bullied by an officer, and a special municipal constable was involved in an impaired driving offence. In another case, it was discovered that an officer taught at the Justice Institute for more than three months while on sick leave from the police department.
The incidents are listed in the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner’s annual report for 2016-2017, which was posted on the agency’s website this week. The officers’ names and gender were not provided in the report, which provides a summary of all incidents the agency concluded with Vancouver police officers and other B.C. municipal cops between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018.
The OPCC is a civilian, independent office of the B.C. legislature which oversees and monitors complaints and investigations involving municipal police in B.C. The agency is responsible for the administration of discipline and proceedings under the Police Act.
More details of the Vancouver cases:
- On March 16, 2017, an officer was in his/her office preparing for a firearms qualification session later that day. The officer placed a magazine in the firearm and racked the slide, which put a bullet in the chamber. The gun discharged with the bullet piercing a cement wall. No one was injured in the incident. Penalty: Written reprimand.
- On Oct. 16, 2015, an off-duty officer attempted to enter a casino while intoxicated. The officer was denied entry. The officer flashed a police badge and requested preferential treatment. He “directed offensive and rude language at a security officer.” Penalty:Three-day suspension, including training focused on “bias-fee language and policing a diverse community.”
- On March 4, 2016, the same officer, whom the casino banned after the Oct. 16 incident, showed up at the casino. The officer identified himself as a police officer and sought preferential treatment. Penalty: Written reprimand. “In this case, the police officer took responsibility for their actions, and at the time of the conduct, it was determined that there were factors that influenced the police officer’s conduct.”
- On June 13, 2016, an officer attempted to use his/her position as a police officer to “encourage the complainant to enter into a relationship and sent inappropriate sexual and pornographic text messages to the complainant.” The officer also provided the complainant with a DVD of an interview he/she conducted with a sexual assault suspect. The report didn’t say whether the complainant was a police officer or staff member. Penalty: Twenty-three day suspension, along with training “specific to the misconduct.”
- On Jan. 20, 2017, a civilian employee complained of a police officer making inappropriate comments to him/her in front of other staff members “that caused the civilian employee to feel bullied and harassed… embarrassed and belittled.” The officer told another officer in a phone conversation that the employee “needs to be knocked off their throne.” That officer also said the employee was “replaceable or could be replaced within minutes.” Penalty: Written reprimand, along with training in conflict management skills.
- On Feb. 16, 2017, an officer “communicated intimidating comments by way of a text message to a co-worker.” Penalty: One day suspension.
- On Dec. 28, 2016, an off-duty officer “was found to be intoxicated in public to the point where it was determined there were grounds for an arrest causing a disturbance.” The officer was driven home and “placed in the care of their partner.” The officer also produced his/her badge when questioned by responding officers, which is considered using police authority for personal gain. Penalty: One day suspension and written reprimand.
- From Feb. 1 to May 13, 2016, an officer was paid for teaching courses at the Justice Institute while on sick leave from the department. Penalty: Fifteen day suspension without pay.
- On Feb. 9, 2017, an officer neglected to follow the proper procedures for the disposition of drug exhibits. Penalty: Verbal reprimand.
- On Aug. 27, 2017, a special municipal constable was the subject of an impaired driving investigation. The constable supplied two breath samples into a breathalyzer, which reported a reading of alcohol that was twice the legal limit. Penalty: Four day suspension without pay.
Const. Jason Doucette, a VPD media liaison officer, said in an emailed statement to the Courier that the department values and respects the function of the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.
“The VPD does not have anything to add about the individual cases mentioned in their annual report,” Doucette said. “However, it’s important to note that the VPD has more than 1,300 sworn members who serve Vancouver with pride and integrity every day.”
Some of those officers, including emergency response team members, were expected to be in Victoria Thursday to receive awards for meritorious service and valour from Lt. Gov. Janet Austin and Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
Annual public satisfaction surveys of the VPD routinely show high scores for the department, with 89 per cent of businesses and 86 per cent of residents polled in 2017 being satisfied with the VPD and its services.
