Depuity Commissioner Responds to News of Law Suit
Thursday, May 10, 2012 @ 3:29 PM
Prince George, B.C.- The RCMP Corporal who says she was sexually assaulted and sexually harassed during her 16 years as a member of the force, has filed a civil lawsuit against the RCMP.
Corporal Catherine Galliford names three members of the RCMP, ( a Constable, Sergeant and Inspector) a Vancouver police officer, the Attorney General of Canada, the Justice Minister of B.C., and a civilian doctor for the RCMP in her suit.
In the documents filed with the B.C. Supreme Court, she says formal complaints were not filed during the time because of the fear of repercussions to her career.
The Deputy Commissioner and Commanding Officer of the RCMP in B.C, Craig Callens has issued a statement in the wake of the news of Galliford’s suit. In that statement he says he assigned senior major crime investigators and investigators from the RCMP’s Professional Standards Unit. He says the allegations made by Gallifod were seperarated into two groups, those related to the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry, and the rest.
The Deputy Commissioner says the allegations linked to the Missing Women cases were investigated first because of the timeliness of the inquiry. “The allegations relating to the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry have been fully investigated and I can tell you that we have not been able to substantiate nor corroborate any related to the alleged sexual harassment by RCMP members. The findings have been provided to Commission Counsel and to Cpl. Galliford. I have also asked the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP to independently review the entire investigation as part of their Chair Initiated Complaint and Public Interest Investigation and provide their comments on all aspects, including the thoroughness as well as any bias or other factors.
The remaining allegations continue to be investigated. To this point, we have not been able to substantiate any of those allegations, but we have not yet completed our work. Once this internal investigation is complete, I will again ask the CPC to independently review these findings as well, and provide their comment.
Given that the allegations now form part of a civil suit and are being independently reviewed, I am not able to comment further. The civil court process will require that testimony be given under oath, subject to cross examination, and allow the trier of fact to make the appropriate judgment.”
The remaining allegations continue to be investigated. To this point, we have not been able to substantiate any of those allegations, but we have not yet completed our work. Once this internal investigation is complete, I will again ask the CPC to independently review these findings as well, and provide their comment.
Given that the allegations now form part of a civil suit and are being independently reviewed, I am not able to comment further. The civil court process will require that testimony be given under oath, subject to cross examination, and allow the trier of fact to make the appropriate judgment.”
Corporal Galliford is originally from Prince George and had been a member of the local media before joining the RCMP. Her allegations first came to light last year.
Comments
Why donât we wear wristbands in support of Catherine Galliford and all the other women sexually harassed on the job?
And to the Deputy Commissioner and Commanding Officer of the RCMP in BC, Craig Callens, why donât you throw some of your accused officers into a jail cell and play the Big Boss scenario until they confess?
Such a foolish statement itelman, this process like any legal process is charter protected. It must take its due course.
You should read up on the case of Cst. Gastaldo – many are climbing on the band wagon crying harrassment when they themselves were willing participants in whatever was going on.
I can tell you one thing though: The rcmp is preparing a defense to many of the so called harrassed and investigating them to find out if they are lying so they can go after them for integrity issues. To have people on sick leave because of harassment issues and stress for years is a joke.
Medically pension them out, call their bluff, pay them out, but by all means, get them out.
What a shock, she is now filing a civil suit (i.e $$)! The amount of female members that will be crawling outta the woodwork for suits like this will rise dramatically in the years to come, wether it’s true or not!! What a farce. This woman is trying to cash in on her inability to handle the job and is using the missing womans inquiry as her platform, she will make a ton of cash wether the “harrasement” happened to her or not. This “old boys” club crap is a joke, trust me it’s the female members that have more power then the male members.
I must have touched a sore spot with @Imorge and @Zeus88. You guys crack me up.
Maybe you should be witnesses in civil court when you can claim they were willing participants in âwhateverâ was going on.
Also, the remark âShe will make a ton of cash whether the harassment happened to her or notâ, shows the âold boysâ club mentality is still doing well.
Imorge, I agree with you. Craig Callens is doing the best thing possible, asking an independant body to take a look and if anything was missed, so be it.
littelman, you have to live in the “world” to understand it. Let them look, they won’t find anything further. There are very few who have been maligned and it has happened to male officers as well, but very few.
Sorry, that was supposed to be “itelman”
So do the RCMP investigate themselves once again? This must be very uncomfortable for the female member that makes the complaint. My heart goes out to them as this is a very serious and difficult accusation to prove. I must say that if I had ever caught a male police officer doing such a thing he would have a serious problem getting his badge from where I would put it as he would have broken fingers. I am certain the majority of the police force would do the same or worse.
itelman, what color is the sun on your Planet? Time to get in the real world and stop believeing everytime someone yells “harrasement”! in all places the RCMP.
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