Probe clears Kelowna RCMP officer

Abbotsford Police say their investigation of complaint produced no evidence that would justify criminal charge

The Abbotsford Police Department has cleared the Kelowna RCMP of criminal wrongdoing following an independent investigation of the police force.

However, it won’t divulge details of what led to the probe.

B.C. RCMP contacted the Abbotsford Police in early September to request it investigate allegations concerning the Kelowna detachment, said Const. Ian MacDonald, spokesperson for the Abbotsford Police Department.

“We had investigators engaged in that investigation on the Labour Day long weekend,” he said.

On Wednesday, MacDonald announced the investigation had concluded.

“Our mandate was to look and see if a criminal offence was committed, (and) we didn’t find evidence that would have moved us in a direction where we would recommend a criminal charge,” he said.

“We received the full co-operation of all parties and witnesses, and we felt there was a lot of support from the community to have us be there and do our job.”

Recruiting independent police forces to conduct external investigations is not as common as it once was, following the creation of the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., said MacDonald.

“Investigations that relate to injury or serious bodily harm or death are automatically assumed by them,” he said. “So clearly this investigation wouldn’t have fallen into one of those categories.”

The external criminal investigation was focused on a single complaint connected to one person, said Sgt. Annie Linteau, spokesperson for the B.C. RCMP.

The investigation occurred around the same time former Kelowna RCMP superintendent Nick Romanchuk retired.

No explanation was given for his sudden departure. Neither the B.C. RCMP nor the Abbotsford Police named Romanchuk, or anyone else, in the investigation.

“Due to privacy, we can’t name individuals, and we won’t be in a position to disclose the nature of the allegation,” said MacDonald.

Our mandate was to look and see if a criminal offence was committed . . . Const. Ian MacDonald