Police chief: ‘tough road’ for VicPD
New diversity and inclusion committee to ensure healthy workplace, Manak says
There’s still work to be done to create a workplace free of bullying, harassment and intimidation, says Victoria Police Chief Del Manak, in the wake of the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner’s report on former chief Frank Elsner.
The damage done to the department was like a cloud over the organization, Manak said.
“The reality is the men and women at this police department are proud. They love coming to work and they were deeply impacted by this. This was a significant incident and setback, especially when it’s the leader of the organization. … It’s been a tough road,” said Manak.
The Elsner saga began in the summer of 2015 with the discovery that the then-chief had been sending sexually charged Twitter messages to the wife of a subordinate officer. It triggered an unusually complex police disciplinary process, which included court challenges by Elsner.
The final report released Wednesday by police complaint commissioner Stan Lowe found Elsner committed eight acts of misconduct that would have resulted in his dismissal from policing. Elsner, who resigned in May 2017, committed six acts of discreditable conduct, including three of workplace harassment, one act of deceit and one act of inappropriate use of police equipment.
Although he has retired from policing, Elsner’s service record will reflect the disciplinary measures, including his demotion to constable, 30-day suspensions and training requirements in ethics, harassment and sensitivity.
The former chief could not be reached for comment.
Many officers are still asking tough questions, said Manak, who became chief in June 2017.
“How could this behaviour occur in our midst? Did we do enough to identify it and to take action? And, most importantly, what can we do to prevent this behaviour from ever happening again?
“I can tell you inappropriate behaviour, sexual harassment, bullying and engaging in misleading actions will not be tolerated at the Victoria Police Department.”
He described the people who came forward as “brave and ethical” and said their courageous actions led directly to the final report.
Manak said he has created a diversity and inclusion executive committee to ensure a healthy work environment. Bullying and harassment training is now mandatory and senior management will work closely with the union executive to identify and address systemic problems, he said.
“This issue is too important to assume everything is fine and will be OK. I want ongoing assessments of our working environment,” said Manak, adding he also wants a process in place for people to come forward if they have concerns.
“They will be believed. They will be listened to and a proper investigation will take place,” he said.
Manak, who was reluctant to name the officers who discovered the Twitter messages, said there were no repercussions for the whistleblowers.
He did not say why the Twitter messages were brought to the attention of the mayors of Victoria and Esquimalt, and not the full police board.
“I don’t want to get into the specifics of that. Again, my focus is on leading this organization and moving forward and creating a respectful, open workplace,” said Manak, who has been with Victoria police for 25 years.
Earlier, the Victoria City Police Union issued a statement saying its members stood strong when the matter came to light “and we are proud of them for coming forward.”
President Sgt. Sean Plater said the union agreed with Lowe’s decision not to hold a public hearing. It also supports his recommendation to appoint a retired judge to act as the disciplinary authority in misconduct matters involving a chief constable or deputy chief constables. Mayors are currently the disciplinary authority.
“We see the value of independent civilian oversight in policing, which is why we asked for these matters to be investigated and we are satisfied that this matter has been dealt with appropriately as a result,” says the union’s statement.
It’s expected that the police board will reveal the full costs of the investigation next week.