B.C. RCMP officers violated code of conduct with racist, sexist messages: adjudicator

An RCMP adjudicator has found tierce B.C. Constables failed to handle people with honor and good manners when they posted racialist, sexist and homophobic comments in a group chat with other officers and on police computer terminals.

Louise Morel found Coquitlam constables Mersad Mesbah, Ian Solven and Philip Dick violated the RCMP code of conduct and displayed discreditable conduct by posting the comments — but dismissed other allegations related to workplace harassment.

In an email sent during the code of conduct hearing for the three officers earlier this year, Supt. Darren Carr, the officer in charge of Coquitlam RCMP, described their actions as “a campaign of hate.”

According to court documents, the allegations against Solven, Dick and Mesbah came to light after one of their fellow officers complained about what he saw as “atrocious” and “racist and horrible” activity by his colleagues.

Morel says she's confident a reasonable person in society would find the comments not only discourteous and disrespectful, but also discreditable, and that posting them in chats "could reasonably be inferred" to decrease public confidence in the RCMP.

For nearly three hours on Friday, Morel went through various messages which she referred to as racist, sexist and homophobic.

"I fail to see how a reasonable person in society would find comments about a vulnerable female being raped by five dudes, referring to an RCMP unit as the penis-touching team, or a victim of a criminal sexual assault as a dumb girl, can be acceptable professional or even excusable," she said when discussing allegations against Solven.

In Dick's case, messages referred to "the big turban man" or "the useless short tubby Asian," she said.

In the case of Mesbah, she referenced messages referring to others as "retarded."

She said aspects of the messages "showed a mindset" that questioned the public's right to be treated fairly and equally.

"I find that the messages are clearly racist, sexist and homophobic, given the insulting nature related to a person's race, colour, ethnic origin, sex or sexual orientation," she said.

RCMP officers made ‘atrocious’ racist, sexist comments, internal probe claims

"I find that a reasonable person in society with knowledge of all the relevant circumstances, including the realities of policing in general and the RCMP in particular, would consider the conduct to be discreditable."

Morel says the officers' claims that the posts were made out of frustration, dark humour or sarcasm does not absolve them, noting that police are held to a higher standard than the general public.

Roberts said the RCMP is seeking their dismissals and that all three members remain suspended with pay and "their duty status is subject to continual assessment."

If you’re affected by this news, you can look for mental health support through resources in your province or territory.

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