A Nelson Police Department officer has been investigated for using a derogatory term to describe a female officer and also slapping the genital area of male coworkers.
The officer, whose name was not made public, was among the police misconduct allegations investigated by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019.
The annual OPCC report, which details misconduct cases in municipal police forces across B.C., was released this week. It includes two investigations of Nelson police.
One officer was investigated twice — once for using a derogatory term referring to a female officer in April 2017, and again for multiple incidents of sexual harassment of male coworkers.
The officer received verbal and written reprimands and workplace harassment training.
“The police officer acknowledged that the behaviour and comment were clearly a mistake on his part and that he put people in uncomfortable positions within the workplace,” stated the report. “He acknowledged more is expected from a front line supervisor.”
Another Nelson officer was also investigated for abuse of authority.
The officer initiated a traffic stop on March 14, 2018, during which they reached through a vehicle’s window and pulled a cigarette from the driver’s mouth.
That officer later received communication training.
“The police officer had already sought out advice from senior police officers. The police officer confirmed that, in a similar situation, he would approach the investigation and the driver differently.”
The OPCC investigated 1,326 allegations of misconduct across B.C. during the year included in the report, an increase of 15 per cent over the previous year.
Related: Misconduct investigations spike by 65% across B.C.’s municipal police forces: report
