ABBOTSFORD – A massive police corruption in Abbotsford involving 18 officers is probing hundreds of allegations of police abuse and breach of trust allegations.
On Wednesday, the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner announced it is now probing 148 allegations of misconduct against 17 members of the Abbotsford Police Department, and one from the Vancouver Police Department.
The massive Police Act probe involves accusations of deceit, neglect of duty and corrupt practice. And it has already led to charges in 10 drug cases being dropped due to this investigation, which revolves around how officers were applying for search warrants.
Former VPD cop and West Vancouver police chief Kash Heed says there can be a temptation to stretch the truth when asking for a search warrant, but warns against it.
“Your temptation… is it worth sacrificing your credibility and the integrity of the organization? That’s the mindset that the officers have to be involved in when they’re looking at various cases,” says Heed.
He told News 1130 he’s seen similar issues involving officers and search warrants emerge at two departments he’s previously worked with.
“Of course, there’s willful blindness with respect to how we administer the law,” says Heed. “But the way I put it to these officers, is: Is it worth your career?”
A review into an undisclosed number of prosecutions is also being looked into.
Police Complaints Commissioner Stan Lowe described the allegations as “serious” and deal with statements that police officers gave to judicial officers around permission for search warrants.
The initial investigation was sparked when Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich learned that one of his constables, Christopher Nicholson, had allegedly leaked information to a drug dealer so he could avoid being arrested, reported CTV news.
Rich said Nicholson lied to judges about the information he was obtaining from informants.
The chief reached out to the Vancouver Police Department to conduct an external criminal investigation, and that’s when the VPD raised concerns to the OPCC.
Nicholson, 41, was arrested on May 6, 2013, after an eight-month undercover investigation by Vancouver officers. The operation led to charges of breach of trust, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to traffic drugs.
Vancouver police chief Jim Chu said dozens of officers were part of the operation.
He said Nicholson conspired with an informant to have drugs delivered to a home and have other officers conduct a search soon after.
Later that summer, the New Westminster police force was tasked with looking into Nicholson’s alleged misconduct. That investigation team was comprised of members from New Westminster, the Mounties and other municipal agencies.
It was during that review that investigators discovered further allegations against the charged officer, as well as 16 other members of the Abbotsford department, says the OPCC. A VPD member is also included because he has a connection to Nicholson.
The OPCC is keeping mum about specific allegations, but says many relate to concerns over the integrity of sworn statements given to police, which could impact the justice system.
