Vancouver Police Union criticizes assault case’s handling after officer’s suicide

VANCOUVER — When Vancouver police deputy chief Fiona Wilson addressed reporters Tuesday about two Central Saanich police officers facing sexual assault charges, she called the allegations “deeply corrosive to the public trust.”

Her comments and the subsequent suicide of one of the officers accused sparked a letter from the president of the Vancouver Police Union, saying the “overly charged” language affects the morale of officers, erodes confidence in policing and undermined the presumption of innocence.

Vancouver Police Union president Ralph Kaisers said in a Dec. 18 letter to union members obtained by The Canadian Press that he shares the concerns of members over the public statements made by Vancouver police.

“The description of the allegations as ‘deeply corrosive to the public trust’ prior to any trial or conviction not only prejudges the case, but also casts a shadow over the entire law enforcement community, who are working diligently and with integrity to serve their communities,” the letter says.

The news release issued by police “goes beyond what is necessary to inform the public and veers into language that risks undermining the presumption of innocence — a fundamental principle of our justice system,” Kaisers’ letter says.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C., the provincial police watchdog, said in a statement Thursday that it is investigating the suicide death of 43-year-old Sgt. Matthew Ball.

Ball’s body was found shortly after he was accused of one count each of sexual assault and breach of trust.

“On December 18, 2024, the RCMP was called to the scene of a deceased man in a rural area near Shawnigan Lake,” the statement said. “It was later determined the man was one of the (Central Saanich Police Service) members who had been arrested and it appears the manner of death was self-inflicted.”

Officers from the neighbouring Saanich Police Department, a separate police force, are now assisting in Central Saanich.

The Saanich department is “providing patrol officers to manage calls for service in their jurisdiction today,” the department said in a statement Thursday.

“This is taking place while supports are provided to Central Saanich Police Service officers to process the recent events.”

Andrea Spindler, the deputy police complaint commissioner, said in an emailed statement that the office is also investigating the case at the request of the Central Saanich Police Service, though an investigation under the Police Act “has been suspended pending the outcome of the prosecution.”

Kaiser’s letter said learning of the tragic loss of one of the officers involved emphasizes the urgent need for police agencies across B.C. to practice what they preach when it comes to trauma-informed approaches.

“This incident should serve as a catalyst for reflection and collaboration on how we manage sensitive and challenging situations,” the letter said. “We must ensure that fairness, compassion, and mental health are prioritized for everyone involved, without compromising accountability.”

“We can and must do better,” it said.

He said that while the intent of the Vancouver Police Department may have been to demonstrate accountability, such statements need to be measured to avoid eroding confidence in the profession.

“It is essential that public communications strike a proper balance: providing necessary transparency while safeguarding the rights of accused individuals and preserving the reputation of the policing community,” the letter said.

Kash Heed, who’s B.C.’s former public safety minister and the former police chief for West Vancouver, said he has read Kaisers’ letter, and agreed with the police union head’s take on the situation.

“I think he is expressing the feelings of many people in the police profession,” Heed said.

Heed said it was a “very traumatic situation” for the alleged victim and the officers accused in the case, and nobody is “downplaying” the seriousness of the offences involved.

“Mistakes were made with respect to the health and welfare of police officers that pretty well had their career ended almost immediately as a result of the allegations against them and what took place after,” he said.

“It appears there weren’t substantial guardrails put in place with the health and well-being of these officers,” he said.

He said that he hopes an inquest into the officer’s death will examine all agencies involved, including the Central Saanich department where the deceased officer worked, the Vancouver Police Department that investigated, the provincial Public Safety Ministry and the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.

“Did they come together in making sure of the health and welfare of these officers? Because it’s not only officers that are related to criminal offences or alleged criminal offences that have taken their own lives, (but) other officers that are just under stress,” he said.

Vancouver police said on Tuesday that the Central Saanich Police Service asked it to investigate allegations against the two officers earlier this year.

Vancouver police media relations officer Const. Tania Visintin directed questions about Kaisers’ letter to the Vancouver Police Union, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wilson said at a news conference Tuesday that Ball and Const. Ryan Johnston, 40, allegedly formed separate “intimate” and “inappropriate” relationships with the same woman in her mid-20s, and it did not appear the two officers acted together.

Johnston faces a single count of sexual assault for alleged offences that happened between Feb. 6, 2020, and March 8, 2020.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, support is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988, Canada’s national suicide prevention helpline.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2024.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press