A review of the disciplinary decision against a Victoria police officer who lied about skipping a day of attendance at a work-mandated conference is set for Oct. 8 in Vancouver court.
Police complaint commissioner Clayton Pecknold ordered a review of the discipline given to Const. Marty Steen for deceit and neglect of duty.
The three-day conference happened in February 2018.
Steen’s actions started to come to light when Deputy Chief Steve Ing heard rumours about them and Steen was eventually investigated under the Police Act.
This past March at a disciplinary session, Steen was found to have neglected his duty by skipping part of the conference, for which a verbal reprimand was proposed.
Steen was also found to have made misleading statements to his supervisors, which led to his pending promotion to sergeant being revoked.
The misleading statements were found to have been made on March 29, 2018, and April 11, 2018.
At the time the revocation was decided upon, Steen was “a senior, experienced police officer “who had made the eligibility list for promotion to sergeant through a comprehensive selection process,” said a notice of review from Pecknold.
During the disciplinary session, Steen said that while deceit by an officer is serious, the circumstances of his case weren’t as serious as those that could affect the public in the administration of justice.
He also said what happened was a lapse in judgment and out of character, and that there was “zero chance of future misconduct.”
Deputy Chief Colin Watson, the discipline authority at the session, said he was concerned that Steen did not appear to be taking full responsibility and thought other officers might be concerned if a promotion happened at that time.
Retired B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ron McKinnon will preside at the review proceedings.
