A code of conduct hearing for a trio of Coquitlam RCMP officers accused of sharing offensive messages in group chats heard Tuesday from the officer whose complaint spurred the investigation.
Constables Mersad Mesbah, Ian Solven and Philip Dick have been on paid leave since 2021. They’re facing allegations of workplace harassment and discreditable conduct that could, if substantiated, result in their dismissal.
The officers are accused of making thousands of racist, homophobic and sexually charged messages in chats on WhatsApp, Signal and RCMP mobile data terminals.
On Tuesday, Const. Sam Sodhi, who lodged the complaint about the messages, took the stand.
Sodhi was challenged by Solven’s lawyer as to whether he had made derogatory comments about the public during the course of his duties.
Sodhi admitted that he may have made some, but said he had never done so to anyone’s face, nor to the level the three officers are accused of.
When asked why he had never mentioned problems with other officers during performance reviews, he testified he was afraid he could be fired.
According to an Information to Obtain document previously obtained by Global News, the three officers allegedly shared numerous messages mocking members of the public along racial and sexual lines.
“We gotta find a black guy today. This is your competency. I have to taser a black guy,” one message allegedly states.
Members of the group also allegedly belittled Indigenous people, talking about how they were “stupid” or “drunk” and saying they have “unfortunate bodies” and all have fetal alcohol syndrome.
And responding to a domestic violence call where the victim was bleeding from the mouth, one officer allegedly commented, “Well she’s a f—ing dumb bitch, should’ve worn a mouth guard.”
Earlier in the proceedings, the three officers had sought to have the discipline panel removed, after it was revealed they had referred to the accused as the “three Amigos” in email. The board ultimately rejected that application.
The hearing is scheduled to continue on Wednesday.