Mounties probed for drunk driving
Police watchdog investigating allegations against off-duty RCMP officers
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/08/2017 (2445 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Off-duty police officers consuming alcohol at an after-hours party. Officers getting behind the wheels of their vehicles and driving off after drinking an unknown number of drinks. An investigation into what happened by local police.
The incident sounds eerily familiar to Robert Taman — without the tragic consequences.
And now the province’s police watchdog — set up in the wake of the death of Taman’s wife — is investigating.
Crystal Taman died on Feb. 25, 2005, after a pickup truck being driven by an off-duty Winnipeg police officer, who fell asleep at the wheel, slammed into the back of her car as she was stopped on Lagimodière Boulevard at a red light. That driver, former officer Derek Harvey-Zenk, was returning from a night of partying with other officers at a home north of the city.
“Police officers especially shouldn’t be doing this,” Taman said Tuesday after being told about the incident. “They should already know through their job the tragedies that can happen.
“The only nice thing you can say here is nobody was injured or killed.”
Harvey-Zenk was later convicted of dangerous driving causing death, but other alcohol-related charges were dropped because East St. Paul police botched the investigation into the crash. That police force was later disbanded as a result of the case.
After an inquiry was held into the circumstances surrounding Taman’s death, the province created the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) to look into all serious incidents involving police officers, off duty or on.
In this latest incident, the IIU is investigating allegations that two off-duty RCMP officers may have been drunk when they got behind the wheels of their cars earlier this summer. The RCMP members were at a party at another off-duty officer’s home on June 29, the IIU reported Tuesday.
The matter wasn’t reported to the RCMP’s East District until July 6, and an investigation was launched. The RCMP’s D Division headquarters was notified on Aug. 11, and it immediately told the IIU.
“The IIU civilian director considers it to be in the public interest for the agency to investigate this incident,” said a statement from the IIU.
An IIU spokeswoman said the unit would have no further comment about the investigation until it is complete.
RCMP spokeswoman Tara Seel confirmed no charges have been laid.
“Once it was determined that the allegations required further investigation, RCMP headquarters was notified, then IIU was contacted,” Seel said.
“IIU took carriage of the investigation and sent out the press release.”
Seel said any other information would have to come from the IIU.
Taman, who admitted he doesn’t know all the facts about what happened, said “if it is drinking and driving, nobody should do this.
“It doesn’t matter what occupation you have. This behaviour shouldn’t be tolerated whether by RCMP or city police… so many people have died because of this (drinking and driving)…”
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Kevin Rollason
Reporter
Kevin Rollason is one of the more versatile reporters at the Winnipeg Free Press. Whether it is covering city hall, the law courts, or general reporting, Rollason can be counted on to not only answer the 5 Ws — Who, What, When, Where and Why — but to do it in an interesting and accessible way for readers.
Part 7 of The Police Services Act covers investigations into police officer conduct and details responsibilities of the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba.
Notice of incident
65(1) When a police officer is at the scene of an incident where it appears that
(a) the death of a person may have resulted from the actions of a police officer;
(b) a serious injury to a person may have resulted from the actions of a police officer; or
(c) a police officer may have contravened a prescribed provision of the Criminal Code (Canada) or a prescribed provision of another federal or provincial enactment;
the independent investigation unit is to be immediately notified in accordance with prescribed procedures.
Notice even if officer not on duty
65(2) Notice must be given under subsection (1) even if the police officer involved in the incident was not on duty at the time of the incident.
Duties of officers at scene of incident
65(3) Until members of the independent investigation unit arrive at the scene of the incident, the police officers at the scene must take any steps that the officers would normally take in such an incident, unless directed otherwise by a member of the independent investigation unit.
Unit to assume conduct of investigation
65(4) Upon arriving at the scene of the incident, a member or members of the independent investigation unit must assume conduct of the investigation of the incident.
Notice of investigation of police officer
66(1) When a police service is conducting an investigation into the conduct of a police officer and there is evidence that the officer may have
(a) caused the death of a person;
(b) caused a serious injury to a person; or
(c) contravened a prescribed provision of the Criminal Code (Canada) or a prescribed provision of another federal or provincial enactment;
the police chief of the police service must, as soon as practicable, notify the independent investigation unit.
Notice of complaint involving police officer
66(2) When a police service receives a formal complaint that a police officer
(a) caused the death of a person;
(b) caused a serious injury to a person; or
(c) has engaged in conduct that would constitute a contravention of a prescribed provision of the Criminal Code (Canada) or a prescribed provision of another federal or provincial enactment;
the police chief of the police service must, as soon as practicable, notify the independent investigation unit.
Notice even if officer not on duty
66(3) Notice must be given under subsection (1) or (2) even if the police officer was not on duty at the time of the conduct in question.
Notice of complaints and investigations
73(1) A police chief must, as soon as practicable, notify the independent investigation unit
(a) when the police service receives a formal complaint that a police officer has engaged in conduct that constitutes a contravention of the Criminal Code (Canada) or any another federal or provincial enactment, other than the provisions prescribed under clause 65(1)(c); or
(b) when the police service is conducting an investigation into the conduct of a police officer and there is evidence that the officer may have contravened the Criminal Code (Canada) or any another federal or provincial enactment, other than the provisions prescribed under clause 65(1)(c).
Information about complaint or investigation
73(2) At the request of the civilian director, the police chief must give the civilian director information about the complaint or investigation and the status of the police service’s investigation.
Information on results of investigation
73(3) When an investigation into a matter referred to in subsection (1) has been completed, the police chief must provide the civilian director with the results of the investigation.
Kevin Rollason
Reporter
Kevin Rollason is one of the more versatile reporters at the Winnipeg Free Press. Whether it is covering city hall, the law courts, or general reporting, Rollason can be counted on to not only answer the 5 Ws — Who, What, When, Where and Why — but to do it in an interesting and accessible way for readers.
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History
Updated on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 9:50 PM CDT: Full write through
