Conduct of eight present and former NPD officers under investigation
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
An internal request for an investigation of eight present and former Nelson police officers is underway, the provincial Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner has confirmed.
When contacted by The Nelson Daily, OPCC deputy police complaint commissioner Andrea Spindler said in an email response that she couldn’t comment or confirm many of the details of the investigation currently underway.
“However, given public reporting in this matter we can confirm that, as a result of a request from the chief constable of the Nelson Police Department, a disciplinary conduct investigation was ordered on Feb. 3, 2022, and is underway with respect to eight present and former Nelson police officers into potential misconduct under the Police Act related to participation in a WhatsApp chat group, and the sharing of inappropriate content and messages including alleged racist comments,” she wrote.
Currently, no one is suspended from the active NPD force, said Nelson chief constable Donovan Fisher. Suspensions are a decision of the Discipline Authority (DA) assigned to the matter and would be based on information that is gathered either during, if serious enough, or at the conclusion of the investigation, he said.
“Although there may be matters that need to be addressed based on the outcome of a full investigation, I continue to have confidence in the officers of this department and their ability to serve the community,” said Fisher.
The investigation is being conducted by the Vancouver Police Department — under the civilian oversight of the OPCC — to make sure the investigation is thorough and complete, said Spindler.
The Nelson Police Department is among the oldest in the province, coming into being as a municipal police force on April 17, 1897.
