WhatsApp group with 'alleged racist comments' prompts investigation of Nelson police officers
A Nelson Police Department vehicle and an officer holding a radar gun are seen in this photo from the department's website. (nelsonpolice.ca)
The office tasked with investigating complaints about municipal police departments in British Columbia has released details on an ongoing investigation into the Nelson Police Department.
The investigation by the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner began at the request of the department's Chief Const. Donovan Fisher, according to a statement from deputy police complaint commissioner Andrea Spindler.
The "disciplinary conduct investigation" was ordered on Feb. 3 and involves eight current and former Nelson police officers, Spindler said.
She added that the officers allegedly participated in a WhatsApp group that involved "the sharing of inappropriate content and messages including alleged racist comments."
The officers involved in the group are being investigated for "potential misconduct," according to Spindler.
The Vancouver Police Department is conducting the investigation, with civilian oversight from the OPCC. The VPD declined to comment on its investigation.
Founded in 1897, the Nelson Police Department is one of the oldest in B.C.
According to its website, the department has 20 deployable officers, eight support staff, nine reserve officers and two victim service workers.
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