British Columbia's Police Complaints Commissioner has decided not to hold a public hearing into the resignation of former Victoria police chief Paul Battershill.

In a decision released Thursday, Commissioner Dirk Ryneveld found that there are insufficient grounds to conclude that a public hearing is necessary or in the public interest. He also said it is therefore time for the Victoria Police Department to "move forward."

For the full text of the ruling, click on the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.

Battershill is the former Vancouver police officer, who stepped down from his Victoria post last month in connection with a personnel matter that has never been officially made public.

However, it has been widely reported that the personnel matter was an alleged affair with police board lawyer Marli Rusen, who until this spring worked for the law firm Heenan Blaikie.

An official with the law firm has said the allegation is that Marli Rusen was secretly having an affair with Battershill while also offering legal advice to the Victoria police.

In a recent statement, Heenan Blaikie said: "Upon learning this information regarding the alleged conduct of this former member of the firm, we reported the matter to the Law Society of British Columbia."

When it was announced last November that Battershill had been suspended, Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe indicated the police board had lost confidence in Battershill's ability to lead.

Lowe noted that Police Complaint Commissioner Ryneveld had the power to order a public hearing into the issue.

But on Thursday, Ryneveld released his decision after weighing the legal issues against the public's right to know.

Ryneveld said he cannot accept that confidence in the complaint process or the police would benefit from a lengthy and costly public hearing process given the RCMP's investigative findings.

"Indeed, a public airing of some of the dynamics at play in these matters, even though not supporting a default finding, would expose inter-personal issues and dynamics that would do little to enhance public confidence in the police,'' he said.

After a very difficult period during which this investigation has been active, it is now time for the Victoria Police Department to move forward, Ryneveld said

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Jim Beatty and The Canadian Press.