REGINA – A senior Regina police officer is facing three disciplinary charges over allegations of inappropriate use of surveillance video.
The officer is charged with discreditable conduct, neglect of duty and improper disclosure of information.
He has not been formally named but media reports have identified him as Insp. Robert Dean.
The officer was placed on leave after a complaint by a Regina woman who had gone to a shopping mall to fax an inquiry to the Dolphins Swim Club about the organization’s finances.
Andrea MacMurray says swim club officials then confronted her, saying they had surveillance video of her sending the fax.
She later learned police had asked the mall for the recording and went to the Public Complaints Commission, which investigates complaints against the police.
Media reports indicate that Dean is the brother of the swim club’s director. CTV Regina reports he is scheduled to retire in less than three months.
The officer has been suspended until the discipline matters are settled.
“These are allegations and serious ones, and charges have been initiated,” Chief Troy Hagen told reporters Tuesday.
“If you retire as a serving member, under the Police Act … if charges are laid, then there is no mechanism to bring that person before a hearing officer because effectively, the jurisdiction has been lost.”
He said there is no need for policy changes as a result of the allegations.
“We are all held to a pretty high standard around accessing information. It has to be for a bona fide purpose.”
Comments