Inquest will be held into death of Vancouver police officer who died by suicide
December 2022 Update: The family of Nicole Chan has amended their lawsuit to remove allegations against Greg McCullough.
An inquest will be held to determine the details surrounding the suicide of a Vancouver police officer nearly four years ago.
A statement issued by the BC Coroners Service Thursday says the inquest into the death of Const. Nicole Chan will take place in January 2023.
The Vancouver Police Department reported the 30-year-old's death to the BC Coroners Service on Jan. 27, 2019.
The chief coroner has the power to hold an inquest if she believes "the public has an interest in being informed of the circumstances surrounding the death."
A jury will hear evidence from witnesses and then will have the opportunity to make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances in the future.
The inquest comes just months after Chan's family brought forward a lawsuit against the VPD, alleging in court documents that Chan endured sexual assault and exploitation enabled by an "unsafe workplace culture and insufficient policies and procedures.”
Chan took her own life after struggling with mental health issues, which the lawsuit alleges were compounded by her relationships with other officers, as well as the force's handling of an investigation into those relationships.
The lawsuit initially named as defendants Sgt. Greg McCullough and Sgt. David Van Patten, two senior officers with whom Chan had relationships with at different times during her 10-year tenure with the VPD, though the family's claims against McCullough have since been withdrawn.
Both of the officers have since left the VPD. McCullough retired while Van Patten was dismissed.
The lawsuit also references two other officers who had sexual relationships with Chan, including one who “held a superior rank,” though they are not named as defendants.
The inquest will begin at the Burnaby Coroners' Court on Jan. 23, 2023.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Lisa Steacy
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.