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Criticism of complaint commissioner misleading

Re: “Complaint commissioner has questions to answer,” letter, Nov. 23.

Re: “Complaint commissioner has questions to answer,” letter, Nov. 23.

The letter-writer’s criticism on the timing of the decision of the complaint commissioner to order an investigation into the conduct of Chief Constable Frank Elsner is misleading and misguided.

The reasons for the complaint commissioner’s decision to order an investigation at the time he did are clearly explained in the notice document which is posted on the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner website. We have been transparent in providing information to the public without compromising the investigation.

The letter-writer’s comments regarding delay in a previous Vancouver Police Department investigation into the conduct of Const. Taylor Robinson are equally inaccurate and were debunked at the public hearing into the matter. However, that has not prevented the letter-writer from continuously repeating this misinformation.

He is entitled to his opinion, as is any member of the public, but he has clearly never read the Police Act; he is misinformed on the provisions that require our staff to maintain confidentiality and the limitations on the complaint commissioner’s powers.

Rollie Woods

Deputy Police Complaint Commissioner