Statement by Acting RCMP Commanding Officer on Code of Conduct Investigation of a member
By Contributor
Media outlets are reporting that an RCMP officer in B.C. is facing an internal code of conduct inquiry over posing for some sexually explicit bondage photographs that were posted on an adult fetish website.
The images of Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Jim Brown depict him posing in a variety of scenarios with a woman.
The photographs and the acts depicted appear to be consensual.
Assistant Commissioner and Acting Commanding Officer Randy Beck responds to the charges.
In an effort to respond to the media enquiries about the off duty activities of one of our members and to provide the information I have at this time, I can confirm the following;
The Officer in Charge of Coquitlam Detachment first became aware of the existence of some graphic staged photos in December, 2010.
However, at that time, he believed they existed only on the member’s personal flash drive and thus, after consultation, he did not believe it met the threshold for a Code of Conduct violation.
In March of this year, during an unrelated investigation, the Officer in Charge learned that the photos were on a personal website. At that time he began another investigation and the photos were subsequently removed.
As this situation evolved and additional information came to my attention, a code of conduct was ordered and that investigation is being led by the Richmond RCMP.
In keeping with the RCMP’s commitment to hold our members to a higher standard, I am taking the unusual step of asking an external police agency to independently review our internal Code of Conduct investigation.
While we must strike a balance between an individual’s rights and freedoms when off duty and the RCMP Code of Conduct, I am personally embarrassed and very disappointed that the RCMP would be, in any way, linked to photos of that nature.
I have also learned today of the concerns raised by counsel involved in the Missing Women Inquiry, suggesting a possible linkage of this member’s personal activities and his role as an investigator at Coquitlam Detachment in 1999.
The member’s full involvement in the Pickton investigation was provided to the Inquiry in keeping with normal disclosure practices. We will continue to cooperate fully with the Inquiry and we will inform the Inquiry of the findings of our Code of Conduct investigation as well as those of the independent external review.
The member is currently on Administrative duties.
Until the investigation is complete and all the facts are known, it is inappropriate for anyone to speculate. It would also be inappropriate for us to provide further comment at this point in the investigation.
