Report calls on head of military police to apologize for how it handled investigation

The Military Police Complaints Commission has called on the head of the military police to apologize to a female Royal Military College of Canada cadet officer and to the family of a male cadet officer who harassed her while dealing with mental health issues.

The investigation looked into incidents in March 2019 when the female officer cadet accused the male cadet of harassing her.

She told military police in Kingston she believed the man was suffering from “obvious mental illness” and that she feared for her safety.

Two months later, the male cadet said he gave the female cadet money in return for a romantic relationship.

Police then told him he’d probably face criminal charges for trying to solicit a sexual service.

The cadet attempted suicide twice and survived. One of the times landed him on life support and he is still living with the effects.

The investigation found that:

• Military police failed to take reasonable steps to address the mental health issues identified by the female officer cadet.
• Military police did not conduct a reasonable investigation into the allegations of criminal harassment and did not take reasonable steps after the female officer cadet told them that she feared for her safety.
• Military police did not conduct an appropriate investigation into the sexual offences allegedly committed by the female officer cadet.
• Military police failed to provide adequate oversight concerning the mental health and personal safety issues in both the criminal harassment and sexual offences investigations.

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The MPCC’s final report made 15 recommendations on issues identified in the investigation, such as:

• To review military police training at all levels in the areas of victims’ rights and services.
• To put in place a risk management strategy to help protect persons who may be in a position of jeopardy.
• To add training on criminal harassment to the curriculum of the Military Police Academy.
• For training to enhance and facilitate consultation with legal counsel by the military police.

“The MPCC also recommended that the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (head of the Military Police) apologize on behalf of the Military Police to the female Officer Cadet and the family of the male Officer Cadet for the failures in the investigations related to the incidents that occurred between the two cadets,” a news release stated.