A finding of discreditable conduct against Victoria’s police chief remains valid, after the chief’s appeal was rejected.
Retired judge Alan Filmer, appointed by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, reviewed the finding in a review on record recently, requested by Chief Jamie Graham.
“As far as I know, that’s the last stage of appeal at this point,” said spokesman Const. Mike Russell.
The discreditable conduct finding earned Graham a written reprimand from police board chair Dean Fortin, who is also mayor of Victoria.
The finding stems from a complaint lodged by Victoria resident Bruce Dean, who said Graham jeopardized an undercover officer’s safety when he made a joke about a cop driving a busload of protesters to the Olympic torch relay in Vancouver in October 2009. It has never been proven whether an officer was, in fact, driving that bus.
An investigation by RCMP Chief Supt. Rick Taylor found Dean’s allegations against Graham were substantiated. Those findings were forwarded to Fortin, who, as discipline authority over Graham, found Graham guilty of discreditable conduct in April 2011. Soon thereafter, Graham asked the OPCC for a review – which was granted and overseen by Filmer.
ecardone@vicnews.com