Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 25/02) - A senior ranking Yellowknife RCMP officer accused of mishandling police exhibits and conduct unbecoming a police officer will no longer face an adjudication hearing.

Staff Sgt. Tom Steggles said the hearing, scheduled for Nov. 4, has been cancelled because the officer facing the allegations has left the force. RCMP are not revealing the identity of the officer.

"The matter is closed. It was an internal matter only and we're not commenting any further on it," said Steggles.

An internal investigation began on July 17, 2001. The officer was suspended with pay and later returned to his duties.

"They did return to work, but resigned before Nov. 4 for sure," said Steggles, then refusing to reveal the date of the officer's departure.

After the allegations surfaced, Steggles said the initial investigation was of a criminal nature. The federal Crown prosecutor's office did look into the matter, but determined there were no grounds to lay criminal charges against the senior RCMP officer.

Steggles said he understands the public may be frustrated with the way the situation was handled and cited flaws in the RCMP's own methods of conducting internal investigations.

"There is nothing unusual the way this unfolded, but I would be the first person to say it's a poor system," he said.

He said he is frustrated with the amount of time it takes to arrange for an adjudication hearing when an officer is accused of improper misconduct.

"Our system is very poor in my view. Often people who are the subject of these investigations have to wait and wait and wait until the thing comes to a hearing and they get their day in court.

"To me, whether the guy is guilty or innocent, it's extremely unfair," said Steggles.

The board that oversees the adjudication hearing is made up of three senior RCMP officers from other districts outside the North.

At least one of the three is required to have a law degree, they each have to take time off from their daily work schedules and, Steggles said, before you know it, a year and a half has gone by.

"So the guy who has been accused of these allegations, in any case, has got to wait ... a criminal on the street doesn't have to do that. He gets his day in court and he gets it in a reasonable amount of time and that's not the case with our department.

"Our guys really have it a lot worse off than your typical criminal on the street ... that's a poor part of the system, but it is reality," said Steggles.

And the whole ordeal not only proved stressful for the officer under investigation, but squashed the morale of all officers working at the Yellowknife detachment as well, said Steggles.

"Nobody wants to see one of their own having difficulties, that's for sure.

"It certainly doesn't have a positive effect on the guys," he said.

But what's done is done and the situation has been put behind all of the Yellowknife members, said Steggles.