A criminal investigation into the conduct of 19 municipal police officers at a May 2022 undercover training event has been completed.
The B.C. Ministry of Public Safety said it is analyzing the results of the investigation and is not releasing any details publicly yet.
The 19 officers were gathered in Vancouver on May 2, 2022 for training when some of them allegedly performed “various physical acts” and activities that were of serious concern, according to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner. It began a probe into the officers for potential misconduct under the Police Act in June 2022, but put things on pause one month later when B.C.’s Director of Police Services ordered a criminal investigation.
At the time, Farnworth described the allegations as “disgusting” and “appalling.” The OPCC said the conduct was “performed in front of course supervisors and other course participants.” No further details of the officers’ alleged actions have been released.
They came from multiple different municipal police agencies, including the Abbotsford Police Department, Vancouver Police Department, New Westminster Police Department, Delta Police Department, Surrey Police Service, Saanich Police Department, Metro Vancouver Transit Police and Victoria Police Department.
With the criminal probe complete, the OPCC investigation will now resume. Chief Const. John Lo of the West Vancouver Police Department has been appointed as the discipline authority to oversee the probe.
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