Family of officer who died by suicide suing Vancouver Police Department, former sergeants
Family of officer who died by suicide suing Vancouver Police Department, former sergeants
The family of a Vancouver police officer who died by suicide is suing the department, alleging she endured sexual assault and exploitation enabled by an "unsafe workplace culture and insufficient policies and procedures," court documents show.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and no statements of defence have been filed.
The lawsuit is being brought by the mother and sister of Nicole Chan, who died in 2019. Nicole took her own life after struggling with mental health issues, which the lawsuit alleges were compounded by her relationships with two superior officers as well as the force's handling of an investigation into those relationships.
Sgt. Greg McCullough and Sgt. David Van Patten, the two senior officers with whom Nicole had relationships at different times during her 10-year tenure with the VPD, are also named in the lawsuit. Both of these officers have since left the VPD – McCullough resigned while Van Patten was dismissed.
MENTAL HEALTH HISTORY
Court documents say the VPD became aware of Nicole's mental health issues in 2012 after she was involved in acar accident that her employer "interpreted … as a suicide attempt." Her gun was taken away and she spent roughly a week off of work.
That is the first of four "mental health episodes" described in the court document that culminated in Nicole being placed on paid leave in 2017 and diagnosed in 2018 with "unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder," as well as major depressive disorder.
"The major contributor to the diagnosis was the impact of the sexual relationship with the sergeants who were in a position of authority over Nicole," the lawsuit claims, saying several times that these episodes were evidence of "severe mental distress triggered by intimate relationships."
RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUPERIOR OFFICERS
The two relationships with her superior officers, the lawsuit alleges, constituted wrongful conduct for which the department and the two former officers are liable.
Those relationships are alleged to have involved: "sexual harassment including persistent communications of a sexual or romantic nature; sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual coercion and sexual exploitation; discrimination; acts intended to cause emotional and mental distress; (and) intimidation using rank," according to the court documents.
Nicole's relationship with McCullough began in 2015.
"McCullough did not disclose his relationship with Nicole to his employer, and he discouraged Nicole from doing so either, insisting that the relationship remain secret," the civil claim alleges.
About a year later, Van Patten began flirting with Nicole, the suit says, alleging that "at Van Patten's urging, Nicole entered into an intimate relationship with him."
The suit alleges Van Patten engaged in a number of behaviours that had the effect of "willfully inflicting mental distress upon Nicole so that he could manipulate her into sexual acts and a power-imbalanced secret intimate relationship that served to benefit him."
This relationship was also not disclosed, according to the suit, which claims Nicole was similarly told to keep it secret.
"The workplace culture was such that Nicole was more afraid of the negative consequences on her career from reporting the inappropriate relationships than she was afraid of the consequences those relationships were having on her," the documents say.
"The gaps in the policy created a dangerous and eventually deadly work environment for Nicole."
SUIT ALLEGES INADEQUATE POLICIES
One of central claims being made is that although the VPD did have a policy requiring the disclosure of intimate relationships between colleagues, it was not sufficient to protect "vulnerable employees such as Nicole" and that it "failed to ensure relationships were not abusive of the power relationship inherent in such an environment."
Any policies the department did have, the suit alleges, "were not effectively implemented to meet the priorities, goals and objectives set out by the (police) board and effectively caused, or significantly contributed to, the death of Nicole."
Nicole's sister Jennifer Chan – who works for CTV Vancouver in the operations department – and her mother Lai Ching Ho are seeking general, aggravated and punitive damages. They are also seeking special damages and damages to remedy what they allege were a breach of Nicole's rights under the Charter.
The Attorney General of B.C., the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Police Union and two unnamed VPD employees are also listed among the defendants.
CTV News has asked the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department for comment.
A spokesperson for the city said staff can not comment "as this matter is before the courts."
The VPD provided a similar statement saying the department is aware of the suit.
As this matter is now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further," a spokesperson wrote in an email.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has nominated Ontario judge Michelle O’Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada. In a statement announcing the nomination, Trudeau said that O'Bonsawin is an Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation and is a fluently bilingual Franco-Ontarian.
A prominent Quebec cardinal is denying sexual assault allegations against him contained in a class-action lawsuit that was formally filed this week in Quebec Superior Court.
Nunavut's acting minister of community and government services says the territory has declared a state of emergency in Iqaluit to ensure the city can begin replenishing its water reservoir without delay.
As students across Canada gear up to enter what will be their fourth academic year in the pandemic, CTVNews.ca takes a look at what measures will be in place in schools, by province and territory.
As of today, individuals and businesses are no longer able to import restricted handguns into Canada, with limited exceptions. The move announced earlier this month is aimed at expediting a key pillar of the federal effort to cap the number of handguns in the country.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra is set to testify before the House of Commons transport committee this afternoon about ongoing airport delays and flight cancellations.
The parent company of CTV News says it will launch an internal workplace review amid criticism of its dismissal of Lisa LaFlamme from her role as chief anchor.
The Malahat highway has reopened after it was closed in both directions for several hours Friday morning after a truck carrying live chickens crashed near the Split Rock lookout. Travellers were detoured off the Trans-Canada Highway at Shawnigan Lake Road and Shawnigan-Mill Bay Road, while oversized vehicles were being sent through West Shawnigan Lake Road.
Mounties in Langford, B.C., are asking the public for help finding a 42-year-old man who is wanted on an outstanding warrant for multiple drug offences, according to police.
Chris Schwede was found dead Thursday morning in his tent on Victoria's Pandora Avenue. Inside his tent was a blue-tinted form of crack cocaine that first appeared in the city on Wednesday, according to local outreach services.
The Calgary Police Service has cordoned off a section of the Bow River pathway and closed a lane of eastbound Memorial Drive in the northeast following a Thursday night stabbing.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
Ben Stelter's fans and supporters are invited to a send-off for the six-year-old who died a week ago. A procession in honour of the Oilers superfan who was diagnosed with brain cancer at four years old will travel by Rogers Place on Friday.
An Ontario hospital is warning patients to anticipate 'much longer' than expected wait times due to 'rapidly changing demands' in their emergency department.
A prominent Quebec cardinal is denying sexual assault allegations against him contained in a class-action lawsuit that was formally filed this week in Quebec Superior Court.
The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS) confirmed that the Inuk woman struck on Highway 520 in Montreal has died of her injuries.
The Coalition Avenir Quebec has unveiled its electoral campaign slogan: Let's continue. In a brief message Friday, the party states that four years ago, it had proposed many changes and, as there is still work to be done, wants to keep that momentum going.
Two Winnipeggers are facing drug related charges after the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) seized 30 kilograms of what is suspected to be cocaine at the port of entry in Windsor, Ont. earlier in the month.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
The Saskatchewan NDP called on the province to remove teachers named in a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit alleging incidents of physical and verbal abuse against students by staff at the Legacy Christian Academy.
Friday marks 80 years since the Dieppe Raid, and a campaign to remember fallen soldiers in one of the Canadian military's darkest day has postcards being sent to hundreds of addresses across the country.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
A coroner’s inquest jury made almost 20 recommendations for ways New Brunswick and its law enforcement can do better in police interventions, training and equipment. CTV News polled each to see if they are considering, or have already implemented any of them.
Angela Parker-Brown may be unable to speak but that hasn't stopped her from using her voice. The mother from Truro, N.S., who is unable to speak due to ALS, recently published a memoir using technology that tracks her eye movements to form words and sentences.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
The Region of Waterloo council approved a series of measures on Thursday to help ease the growing homelessness crisis, including a first-ever decision to permit an encampment.
