A review of the way the Delta Police Department handled a complaint involving its chief’s wife last summer has found no misconduct on the part of the force or its senior officers.
The report from the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner covered the Delta police’s investigation of a report Chief Neil Dubord’s wife Lorraine sprayed Kiran Sidhu with a hose as she walked on the rocks near the couple’s beachfront property last June.
The OPCC said it does not support charges of neglect of duty and discreditable conduct against the force and two senior officers.
The review was launched after an investigation of the hose incident led to charges against Lorraine Dubord, which were later resolved through a non-criminal process known as alternative measures.
Sidhu lodged a complaint with the commissioner about the file’s handling, and more than 10 months later, Global News has obtained its final report.
The 259-page document was prepared by Vancouver police at the request of the OPCC and details extensive efforts on this file, which included getting warrants to access phones, emails and documentation from the Delta police board.
The investigation focused on the actions of the department and two police officers. First, Delta police Sgt. Sarah Swallow faced an allegation of neglect of duty under the Police Act, for secretly tape recording Sidhu.
The report states that “Sgt. Swallow did neglect her duty when she failed to advise Ms. Sidhu that she was recording their phone call.”
However, it deemed this could have been a mistake, and found the allegation of misconduct to be unsubstantiated.
Staff Sgt. Baltej Dhillon, who works for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, was facing an allegation of discreditable conduct under the Police Act.
As the alleged assault was under investigation, Dhillon met with the Dubords — and separately with Sidhu — raising questions about possible influence.
But ultimately the report concluded that Staff Sgt. Dhillon was attempting to promote growth in the area of racial awareness, and the allegation of discreditable conduct was found to be unsubstantiated.
In clearing the officers and the Delta Police Department, VPD Insp. Flewelling states “I have determined that the evidence is not clear, convincing, and cogent.”
Kiran Sidhu says she has chosen not to challenge the findings of the investigation, but told Global News that she is disappointed and still believes that there was misconduct.