The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner of BC said it will investigate after two Lower Mainland officers, including one from Port Moody, were arrested on assault charges during a holiday in Cuba.
Rollie Woods, the deputy police complaint commissioner, told The Tri-City News an investigation occurs any time there are allegations of misconduct that “would likely bring discredit on a municipal police department.”
“A police officer being investigated for criminal allegations, whether it be in Canada or any country, while they are off duty would fall within that category of discreditable conduct,” he said.
But he was quick to stress that “these would be allegations — nothing more than that.”
According to media reports, the issue involves a complaint from a 17-year-old girl, who alleged she was assaulted by a VPD officer. Preliminary reports stated the Port Moody officer allegedly witnessed the incident.
Woods confirmed to The Tri-City News in April that he had received an official report from the PMPD about its officer on March 15 and a file was opened. He added on Thursday that investigators are still waiting for more information from Cuban police before deciding how best to proceed.
“I don’t imagine much investigation could or would be done until there has been some determination from the Cuban authorities and a decision on whether [the two officers] are going to be allowed to return back to Canada or not,” he said. “Then it would depend on the evidence that could be obtained from documents or witnesses from the Cuban authorities.”
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