A West Vancouver Police Department member has been reprimanded for interfering with a bylaw officer’s attempts to seize a vicious dog.
The incident happened in 2016, but was only made public in the most recent quarterly report from the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, which must review and sign off on any internal police investigation.
“(The officer) received information from the West Vancouver bylaw department in relation to their attempt to get a warrant for a dog they felt was vicious and he attempted to influence the West Vancouver bylaw officer not to get the warrant to seize the dog,” said Rollie Woods, deputy police complaint commissioner. “Obviously it was concerning that he would try to influence another law enforcement agency (for something) that they obviously had a mandate or the discretion to do if they chose.”
Under the Police Act, the officer’s actions are considered discreditable conduct. The officer received a verbal reprimand, which is on the lower end of the scale of punishments available to the chief disciplinary officer, Woods noted, and the officer was directed to take more training in ethics. Under the Police Act, the officer cannot be named.
“Bylaws have their own responsibilities and authorities to exercise and we have our own responsibilities and authorities to exercise,” said Const. Jeff Palmer, West Vancouver police spokesman. “Technically we shouldn’t be telling a bylaw officer how to do their job unless it specifically relates to our authority in that circumstance.”
The bylaw officer did eventually get the warrant and seize the dog, according to District of West Vancouver spokesman Jeff McDonald.
“We work in harmony with the West Vancouver Police Department daily. It sounds like a reprimand was given and I’m sure we’ve all moved on from the matter,” he said, adding that he was unaware of any other such incidents.
West Vancouver’s officers are the subject of relatively few complaints launched against B.C.’s 14 municipal police forces that fall under the commissioner’s jurisdiction, Woods said.
Of the 164 public trust investigations that were concluded in the second quarter of 2017, only 34 were deemed to be “substantiated.”
