A Victoria police officer is accusing Chief Jamie Graham of being biased and not offering adequate training to officers.
The allegations are going to B.C. Supreme Court.
On June 27, 2009, chronic alcoholic Kevin John Vigar died in VicPD’s jail cells. He was arrested that night by Const. Jason Ince and another officer, for public intoxication.
In a pat-down search, the officers failed to notice a concealed bottle of liquor, which Vigar drank while in the police van, en route to the jail.
Following Vigar’s death, Graham, as discipline authority, found Const. Jason Ince neglected his duties.
In his petition to the B.C. Supreme Court, Ince alleges Graham didn’t want to be seen as white-washing his responsibilities in the department’s operations and therefore felt compelled to blame an officer.
Ince wants a judge to remove Graham from the position of discipline authority in the matter.
Ince’s lawyer, David Mulroney, said of Graham, “as long as he is acting in good faith, he’s allowed to make the wrong decision.”
An injunction to delay Ince’s disciplinary hearing was held Monday at Victoria Law Courts.
The discipline proceedings, where Ince can outline to Graham his take on the matter in hopes of avoiding or lessening the discipline against him, was scheduled for Jan. 26.
ecardone@vicnews.com