Former Saint John deputy police chief seeks review of decision on misconduct during Richard Oland murder probe

The former deputy chief of the Saint John Police Force, Glen McCloskey, has filed with the Court of Queen’s Bench to seek a judicial review of the New Brunswick Police Commission’s decision in regards to misconduct during the Richard Oland murder investigation.

McCloskey retired from his position on April 30, 2018, but states in an affidavit that he would have continued to work with the force for a “great number of years beyond what I had, if it were not for the stress and anguish placed upon me by the actions of the New Brunswick Police Commission.”

The investigation came under scrutiny during the original murder trial of Dennis Oland in 2015.

Oland had been charged with the death of his 69-year-old father Richard, whose body was found lying in a pool of blood on July 7, 2011.

The investigation examined an alleged series of missteps by Saint John police — including a failure to properly secure the crime scene — and the conduct of McCloskey.

Justice John Walsh, in his charge to the jury at the 2015 trial, noted that police failed to prevent too many people from accessing the crime scene, to keep anyone from using the washroom on the second floor of the office building before it was tested and to ensure the back door wasn’t touched.

During the trial, one of the police officers at the scene of the murder, retired Staff Sgt. Mike King, suggested that McCloskey asked him not to testify the deputy police chief had been at the crime scene.

McCloskey, who had no active role in the investigation, took the stand and denied King’s allegations.

King’s testimony prompted police Chief John Bates to ask the New Brunswick Police Commission to investigate the matter under the Police Act.

The commission eventually put the Police Act investigation on hold and turned the investigation over to Halifax Regional Police after it was determined the inquiry warranted a criminal investigation and an investigation by an independent organization.

WATCH: Former Saint John deputy police chief denies crime scene allegations at Oland retrial

1:54 Former Saint John Deputy Police Chief denies crime scene allegations at Oland retrial

McCloskey was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing by Halifax police in October 2016.

In his affidavit, McCloskey says he never received the settlement conference that he was entitled to. As well, the forced arbitration hearing never took place because it was delayed due to the continuation of the Oland murder trial.

He says he has “suffered a great deal from the start of this entire situation” and that he was “forced into early retirement from a career that I loved, and my name and reputation have been tarnished.”

McCloskey actually missed the deadline to apply for a judicial review, but has requested an extension, which will be heard on June 5.

Oland was convicted of second-degree murder of his father in 2015, but the decision was overturned and a new trial was ordered for 2019. Closing arguments in that retrial are scheduled for May 9.

— With files from The Canadian Press