RCMP hit with another harassment lawsuit from a female officer

VANCOUVER – After a week of news headlines that saw the Canada’s national police force trying to explain graphic photographs online of one of its corporals, now a serving member of the RCMP is making her allegations of harassment official, formally filing a lawsuit against the force in B.C. Supreme Court.

Karen Katz has been with the RCMP for 23 years. She does not want to be identified, and has taken on a new name and has been on paid leave since 2009.

On Friday, she filed a 20-page lawsuit against the organization with allegations dating back to 1989 when Katz was in her 20s and in basic training at depot in Regina, where she alleges she was put on fat parade and harassed.

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“All I ever wanted to do was to be a serving police officer in the RCMP because I grew up in Winnipeg,” says Katz.

She worked with Cpl. Catherine Galliford, who is also suing the RCMP.

In fact, they are using the same lawyer Barry Carter.

Like Galliford, Katz says she suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and agoraphobia. She also has panic attacks, depression and sleeplessness.

Katz worked in Prince George, and then in North Vancouver, before being shuffled off to protective services. She alleges she had issues everywhere she worked before going on leave.

There are too many allegations in her lawsuit against the force to list.

During her career she says she met with full patch members of the Hells Angels. She claims it was research for her self published books, but her supervisors remained suspicious.

“I was tired of being accused as being a mole for the Hells Angels, as having a morbid infatuation with outlaw biker gangs,” says Katz.

This is Katz’s second lawsuit against the RCMP and there is little the force can say.

In a statement to Global News, Supt. Ray Bernoties with British Columbia RCMP, said:

“The RCMP has not had the opportunity to review these unproven allegations but at some point all the facts will be known and all statements will be made under oath in court. Until then, it would be inappropriate to speculate or comment further.”