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㽶ƵֱEgregiously serious㽶Ƶֱ: B.C. cop fired for stalking former partner

Saanich officer used police department databases 92 times to track her

A Greater Victoria area police officer was fired for 㽶Ƶֱegregiously serious㽶Ƶֱ behaviour that crossed into the realm of 㽶Ƶֱharassment and stalking㽶Ƶֱ his female former partner.

That㽶Ƶֱs according to the Office of Police Complaint Commissioner㽶Ƶֱs annual report on substantiated allegations against officers.

㽶ƵֱThe OPCC received a complaint describing concerns regarding intermittent unwanted contact from a member of the Saanich Police Department (SPD) who was the complainant㽶Ƶֱs former partner,㽶Ƶֱ reads the report, which does not name the officer who was fired.

㽶ƵֱThe complainant reported that the member approached her outside her home, while in uniform and out of jurisdiction, despite prior requests not to have contact with her, and that she had advised SPD of this incident. Furthermore, the complainant wanted to ascertain by what means the member was aware of her recently updated address.㽶Ƶֱ

The OPCC ordered an investigation of these allegations and found the officer used police resources to track the woman㽶Ƶֱs locations.

㽶ƵֱIn addition to the unwanted contact, the investigation revealed that the member had used police databases to run checks on his former partner and members of her family, and subsequently misled the Police Act investigators over the extent to which this had occurred.㽶Ƶֱ

The officer retired prior to being disciplined, but the OPCC report said the service record would reflect he was dismissed.

㽶ƵֱThe Discipline Authority determined the conduct of the member to be 㽶Ƶֱegregiously serious㽶Ƶֱ and that his actions went beyond passive contact and would otherwise be considered in similar police investigations as harassment or stalking,㽶Ƶֱ said the report. 㽶ƵֱThe Discipline Authority noted that 㽶Ƶֱovert acts of stalking in intimate partner violence investigations are considered a significant risk factor, particularly over the course of such a long period of time.

㽶ƵֱIn addition to this behaviour, the member also undertook 92 unauthorized queries using a police database to provide ongoing information on the activities of his former partner and family. The Discipline Authority found that the member㽶Ƶֱs behaviour was a 㽶Ƶֱmarked departure from someone in a position of trust and [that] he used his position for the corrupt practice of stalking his ex-partner and her family members.㽶Ƶֱ The Discipline Authority ultimately determined that 㽶Ƶֱanything other than dismissal would bring the administration of police discipline into disrepute and [would be] contrary to the public interest.㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ

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Chris Campbell

About the Author: Chris Campbell

I joined the Victoria News hub as an editor in 2023, bringing with me over 30 years of experience from community newspapers in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley
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