Complaint commissioner makes principled decisions

Re: “An earlier launch for Elsner probe?” Nov. 17. For part of this year, I was employed as an investigative analyst with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner in Victoria. Although I left for personal reasons after only three months, my experience there was one of the highlights of my working career.

Without making any comments regarding the alleged actions of suspended police chief Frank Elsner nor the subsequent comments made by Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson in regard to commissioner Stan Lowe’s decision to wait three months before ordering an external investigation into those alleged actions, I can assure you that staff members of the OPCC, and Lowe in particular, take great pride in making principled and objective decisions based on the Police Act and the available facts and evidence.

In the short time I was there, I was never pressured or otherwise inappropriately directed with respect to the admissibility or inadmissibility of a misconduct allegation under the Police Act. And although I was never privy to any of the matters or discussions regarding Elsner (I joined the office after the ordered investigation), I am confident, based on my experience and observations, that any decisions made by Lowe and deputy commissioner Rollie Woods were made at the time in a fair and principled manner, taking into account the best interests of the community and the other parties involved. Of this I have no doubt. Len Dafoe Nanoose Bay