British Columbia’s police complaint commissioner has ordered a review by a retired judge into a disciplinary decision against an officer who allegedly disobeyed orders during an investigation.
A release from the commissioner says the Vancouver Police Department investigated an officer from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. for allegedly speaking with a witness and a relative of a dead person in February 2021, against the directions of his supervisors.
The release says Sgt. Brian Gateley was found to have committed discreditable conduct under the Police Act.
A one-day suspension was recommended, but the commissioner’s office says that did not reflect the seriousness of the misconduct.
It says James Threlfall, a retired provincial court judge, has been assigned to do the review, but that date has not yet been scheduled.