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VANCOUVER EASTSIDE MISSING WOMEN |
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High-level policing failures cited in report into missing B.C. women
ROBERT MATAS
VANCOUVER – From Saturday’s Globe and Mail
Published Friday, November 18, 2011
A scathing independent review of the RCMP and Vancouver police investigations
related to missing women from the Downtown Eastside has pinpointed several
failures of senior management in both organizations to explain why Robert
Pickton was not stopped before killing several women from 1997 to 2002. “In my opinion, the RCMP and VPD failed to provide leadership
and resources to the missing women and Pickton investigations,” concluded
Jennifer Evans, a deputy chief of Peel Regional Police who was hired as an
external adviser to the Pickton inquiry in British Columbia. The lines of communication between the RCMP and Vancouver
police were non-existent at a crucial point in the investigation, and police
work lacked the required thoroughness and organization, Deputy Chief Evans wrote
in a report obtained by CTV News. The report is to be presented to the inquiry
when hearings resume on Monday. Deputy Chief Evans concluded that mistakes were made. “They
were not made out of malice, but rather resulted from a lack of leadership and
commitment,” she wrote. “Someone in authority, either in the RCMP or the VPD,
needed to champion a co-ordinated effort to these investigations. This should
have involved a multi-jurisdictional approach in the investigation of the
missing women from the Downtown Eastside and of Pickton as a suspect.” The severity and totality of the tragedy went unrecognized by
senior management of both the VPD and the RCMP because neither organization
accepted the crisis as its responsibility, Deputy Chief Evans wrote. “Certain
officers failed to take ownership and ensure the proper resources were dedicated
to the problem.” Deputy Chief Evans concluded that the decision on whether to
put officers on the investigation was affected by the assumption that a crime
had not occurred if there was no evidence and no bodies. “The serial killer
theory was a valid consideration that should have at least been considered from
the outset,” Deputy Chief Evans stated. She also concluded that the police response would have been
quicker and more co-ordinated if one police agency had jurisdiction over
Coquitlam, where Mr. Pickton’s farm was, and the Downtown Eastside. It was easy
for Coquitlam RCMP to investigate other violent crimes they felt had priority,
Deputy Chief Evans wrote. Also, the Vancouver force pursued leads but did not
investigate Mr. Pickton because it deferred to the RCMP, Deputy Chief Evans
stated. Deputy Chief Evans had extremely harsh words for Vancouver
police management. “In my opinion, the leadership and oversight displayed by
members of the VPD senior management during the initial investigation into the
missing women was inexcusable,” she wrote, adding that there was no leadership
by senior management within the missing persons’ unit. The RCMP fell down by not pressing on when faced with a
deceptive interview by Lynn Ellingsen, who others claimed had seen Mr. Pickton
with a dead woman, Deputy Chief Evans stated. Ms. Ellingsen’s denial should not
have stopped the investigation, it should have motivated investigators to prove
the veracity of their information by showing she was lying. Deputy Chief Evans identified several officers who recognized
something suspicious was going on. Vancouver Police Constable Dave Dickson on
Aug. 27, 1998, submitted “a compelling report” that suggested missing women had
become victims of foul play and serious action should be initiated, she wrote.
Constable Dickson was never involved in the investigation of Mr. Pickton. A clerk at the Vancouver police station who took reports of
missing persons, Sandy Cameron, raised concerns in 1998 about the increasing
number of women disappearing from the Downtown Eastside. Detective Constable Lori Shenher of the Vancouver Police “not
only recognized but also took full ownership of the missing women issue,” Deputy
Chief Evans wrote, adding that she worked tirelessly with little supervision or
guidance and tried to push the issues to others within the department. “Unfortunately, she lacked the support from senior management
that she needed to get the proper resources and attention to the missing women
issue,” the report said. Deputy Chief Evans had harsher words for several other
officers. Vancouver police sergeant Geramy Field identified Mr. Pickton as a
suspect for RCMP to investigate but failed to recognize him as a suspect for the
Vancouver missing women investigations, Deputy Chief Evans stated. Staff-Sergeant Dan Dureau, who was responsible for the sexual
assault squad and kept informed about the missing women cases in 1999, did not
take any responsibility for the investigation, the report said. “A passive
management style will not work, as evidenced here,” Deputy Chief Evans wrote. Writing about a meeting in Sept. 22, 1998, Deputy Chief Evans
wrote that, according to Vancouver police detective inspector Kim Rossmo,
Inspector Fred Biddlecombe “basically threw a hissy fit or a small-scale temper
tantrum . . . he said there is no serial killer.” Deputy Chief Evans described Insp. Biddlecombe’s conduct at
the meeting as unprofessional. He did not recognize the seriousness of the
issue, she wrote. Deputy Chief Evans also criticized Inspector Gary Greer,
Deputy Chief Brian McGuinness, Chief Terry Blythe and Chief Bruce Chambers, all
of the Vancouver force, who she says did not pay close enough attention to the
case. She also was critical of several RCMP officers, including for Chief
Superintendent Gary Bass, who she said should have acted on information that he
had received.
© Copyright 2011 The Globe and Mail Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Coquitlam RCMP 'ignored' Pickton: inquiry report
Jon Woodward, ctvbc.ca
Coquitlam RCMP officers called the case of the missing women "the elephant in
the room" because they knew they needed to pursue Robert Pickton as a suspect –
but many actions weren't followed up, according to a report obtained exclusively
by CTV News.
That's because the officer in charge of the Coquitlam detachment, Earl Moulton,
decided that other files needed to be dealt with first, and didn't get help from
other police agencies to pursue the man that would become Canada's most prolific
serial killer.
"Coquitlam RCMP officers had information from multiple sources that Pickton was
responsible for a murder and suspected of involvement in the missing women from
the Downtown Eastside," wrote Deputy Chief Jennifer Evans of the Peel Regional
Police, who had been asked to write the report for the inquiry.
"The information demanded attention and action. If he [Moulton] was unable to
deal with it he should have requested assistance and not just ignored it," she
wrote.
Reached by CTV News late Friday afternoon, Moulton, who is now retired, said he
had not read the report but stood by his decision to focus on crimes that could
be solved.
"I'm still comfortable with my call," he said.
The report is in stark contrast to another on the Coquitlam RCMP by Insp. R.J.
Williams, who analyzed Mounties' behaviour in anticipation of future lawsuits,
and said the officers committed no wrongdoing.
"Based on our experience, and the interviews conducted, it is suffice to say
nothing would have changed dramatically if those involved had to do it again,"
Williams wrote.
The much more damning Evans report is expected to be released to the inquiry on
Monday. The public inquest is examining what could have been done differently to
stop Pickton from killing as many as 49 women.
Evans says the philosophy of "no body, no evidence, no crime" permeated the
investigations, with brass in both the Vancouver Police Department and RCMP
unconvinced they should devote resources to solving the disappearances of a
growing number of women.
By late 1999, the Coquitlam RCMP had four informants pointing to Pickton as the
man behind at least one murder.
But then Cpl. Mike Connor, who was on the case and working closely with VPD Det.
Lori Shenher, was promoted away from the detachment.
Without Connor's drive, the report says, Coquitlam RCMP shifted gears. For
months at a time, investigative steps were not followed, including following up
with Pickton on an offer to search the Port Coquitlam pig farm which eventually
yielded evidence of the disposal of 33 women.
Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Dave McCartney replaced Connor, and described the case as
"the elephant in the room, implying that investigators knew it had to be worked
on but the actions just did not occur."
Staff Sgt. Brad Zalys told Evans in an interview that he agreed with Moulton's
decision to investigate other priorities.
"You can't just ignore a new homicide when it comes in," he said.
But he also told Moulton in 2000 that, "If this turns out to be Pickton, there's
going to be an inquiry."
According to Zalys, Moulton said, "Well, I guess we'll have to deal with that
when the time comes."
© 2011CTV
All rights reserved
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Updated: January 01, 2007 |