A legal advocacy group has lodged a formal complaint against Vancouver's police chief over a fatal police shooting.
The complaint to the Vancouver Police Board by the Pivot Legal Society says Chief Jim Chu violated the code of professional conduct in a memo circulated to officers following the shooting of Michael vann Hubbard on a downtown street last month.
In the memo to department staff dated March 28, eight days after the shooting, Chu pointed out that the Abbotsford city police have been asked to investigate the shooting.
He said it would be inappropriate for him to prejudge the outcome of their investigation but said there was "incontrovertible" video evidence of the events that unfolded.
Chu said the video showed vann Hubbard advancing toward officers with a utility knife, its blade extended.
He said it showed a confrontation that lasted one minute and 40 seconds, and ended when vann Hubbard advanced quickly toward one officer, who fired her weapon, "regrettably" killing vann Hubbard.
Chu noted in the memo that members of the force were feeling demoralized and frustrated by the media coverage of the shooting, which included allegations from a "self-described marijuana activist" that his cellphone video of the incident was erased by police. That claim has not been proven.
The complaint by Pivot noted that the memo ended up in the hands of media.
"Given the broad distribution list and extremely sensitive (sic) of the material, the chief knew or should have known that the memorandum would reach the media and the public, where other potential witnesses may exist," said the complaint, signed by Paul Nigol of Pivot.
The complaint, released Thursday, said such opinions should not have been shared with officers who were under investigation and may have to give testimony about the events.
It said the memo amounts to discreditable conduct by Chu, a violation of the code of professional conduct.
The complaint said that while it may have been Chu's duty to show moral support for officers under such circumstances, it should have been done without disclosing information about the video.
The complaint said vann Hubbard's family was very upset about what it feels was an attempt by the department to undermine the investigation being carried out by the Abbotsford police department.
Vann Hubbard's family has already launched a lawsuit against the force for wrongful death.
The homeless man was stopped three blocks from a reported vehicle break-in but Abbotsford police have already announced that the backpack he was carrying was his own, and was not one missing from the vehicle.
A copy of the complaint was also sent to the provincial Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner.
