The Vancouver Police Department is investigating more than a dozen officers for allegedly sharing dirty emails and viewing pornography during work hours.
Supt. Jeff Sim announced Thursday that 14 officers and one civilian employee had violated the department's internet and email policy by receiving and sending inappropriate images, video and comments.
"The images range from the type you would see in the media every day and on the cover of Sports Illustrated, to the type of images you would have to search for," Sim said.
Police refused to elaborate on the nature of the more hardcore material, but Sim assured that "none of the images are illegal."
Chief Jim Chu added that if illegal pornography had been found, police would have launched a criminal investigation.
The emails were found last August while the department was investigating the leak of documents relating to the Stanley Cup riot to the media. All of the employees involved are male.
The number of files has not been released, but police say the officers had an average of about a dozen images each. All were viewed or shared last year between January and September.
Chu said some of those investigated have already been disciplined, with punishments including suspensions and written reprimands.
Other potential penalties could include demotions and departmental transfers.
"We need to ensure there's accountability for violation of the policies, and if you are of a higher rank then we're looking at that as a factor for what the discipline should be," Chu said.
The VPD has close to 1,800 employees, he added.
In response to the findings, the department will be installing software to automatically track and identify inappropriate images on work computers.
The investigation is ongoing, but police say they hope to see it concluded soon.
