Delta police chief’s wife subject of probe

Woman says she was enjoying a day at the beach when she was sprayed with hose and insulted

Mounties are investigating an alleged assault by the wife of Delta’s police chief against a Richmond schoolteacher in Tsawwassen three weeks ago.

The incident allegedly occurred on June 6 and involved Lorraine Dubord, a teacher who lives in Surrey. Part of the encounter was filmed and posted to a private Facebook group.

Dubord, wife of Chief Neil Dubord, allegedly hurled insults at Kiran Sidhu and sprayed her with a hose, according to Sidhu’s allegations, contained in a Delta Optimist report.

Surrey RCMP were asked to conduct an independent investigation into the alleged assault, Cpl. El Sturko said in an emailed statement.

“We will not be releasing details about the individuals involved or details of the allegations at this time,” Sturko said.

“We are committed to doing a thorough investigation and while we cannot predict an exact date for our investigative tasks to be complete, our officers will work diligently to complete their work in a timely manner.”

Sidhu told the Optimist that she had been at a socially distanced picnic at Centennial Beach that day. The tide came in as she was leaving, forcing her to climb onto some rocks to get to her car.

Those rocks were along the property line of the Dubord family’s home.

Sidhu alleged Dubord yelled at her to get off the rocks, but she had nowhere to go. Dubord then insulted her, returned with a garden hose and sprayed her, Sidhu told the Optimist.

“My face was wet, my hair was wet … it was just so shocking,” she told the Optimist. “She is an adult woman, I’m an adult woman. I was made to feel so unwelcome in these white spaces, which is something I’m aware of being a racialized woman in these white spaces as a teacher, as an active member of my union and I work on changing that.”

(Racialized is a term meaning to categorize or divide according to race.)

Sidhu said she filed a complaint with Delta police, which led to the RCMP investigation.

The Delta police and mayor did not return requests for comment.

On Thursday, Dubord provided an emailed statement to the Optimist in which she offered an apology for how she handled the situation.

“Everyone should feel welcomed and supported in our community,” Dubord wrote. “I trust that all the facts and the complete story surrounding this regrettable incident will be gathered in due course through the ongoing and independent RCMP investigation.

“I would like to reaffirm my ongoing commitment to promoting diversity and fighting racism and hate in our community. I will continue to listen and learn from the discourse occurring in our community on this matter.”

I was made to feel so unwelcome in these white spaces ... something I’m aware of being a racialized woman.