BC’s top Mountie wants changes to the RCMP Act
Posted April 16, 2012 5:54 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – BC’s top Mountie is seeking changes to the RCMP Act. Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens wants to make it easier to fire law-breaking officers like Corporal Monty Robinson.
He’s been vocal about firing Robinson, who was found guilty of obstructing justice in a deadly crash.
“The sanction that I’m seeking is dismissal,” Callens says.
For now, that will that will only come after a possibly lengthy disciplinary hearing and Callens says that’s a weakness that needs to change.
He says he’s currently in talks with the Minister of Public Safety.
“In fact there was a federal bill that proposed significant changes to the RCMP act,” Callens explains. “Those discussions are on-going and I believe there’s likely very good potential for some progress to be made in that regard.”
However, Callens isn’t saying when changes to the Act are expected to be made.
Robinson was behind the wheel when he struck and killed a motorcyclist in Delta, B.C., in October 2008 while on the way home from a Halloween party with his children. He admitted to drinking five beers.
He told the judge that immediately after the crash, he walked his kids home and then pounded back alcohol to calm his nerves before returning to tell an investigating officer he was the driver.
Robinson is the same man who was the senior officer in charge during a deadly confrontation with Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver’s airport. Dziekanski died when was jolted several times with an RCMP Taser.
