The OPCC/VPD Taylor Robinson
cover-up: Stan Lowe’s OPCC responds

Two vague, obfuscatory and dishonest denials constitute the only
defence from B.C.’s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner

 

After Vancouver police constable Taylor Robinson shoved a disabled woman named Sandy Davidsen to the sidewalk, B.C.’s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner colluded with the VPD in a cover-up that lasted until media learned about Robinson’s actions, more than six weeks after the incident. Nothing can be done about the OPCC because police complaint commissioner Stan Lowe answers to no one—absolutely no one at all. In practice that immunity applies to his staff.

However the VPD Professional Standards officers involved should have been investigated for a very serious breach of the Police Act. To that end I twice brought formal Police Act complaints about them to the OPCC. Of course the OPCC rejected both complaints without ordering investigations. An investigation into those officers would make the OPCC’s collusion even more obvious than it already is. But, since my two complaints mentioned the OPCC’s collusion, the agency’s letters of rejection came with denials—and not only dishonest denials, but lame denials shrouded in obfuscation.

Yet these denials constitute the OPCC’s strongest defence. They’re contained in a March 6, 2015 letter from OPCC admissibility analyst Anthony Parker and a February 7, 2014 letter from OPCC investigative analyst Andrea Spindler.

First, Parker’s attempt at a denial: “Ms. Spindler informed Mr. Klein in her February 7, 2014, letter that the OPCC received Ms. Davidsen’s complaint on June 28, 2010, and issued a notice directing the VPD to conduct an investigation on June 29, 2010.”

That’s an interesting way for Parker to refute the OPCC’s collusion. He doesn’t refute it. He claims Spindler refuted it. But she didn’t. She didn’t say what he said she said.

Here’s Spindler’s actual statement: “We deemed Ms. Davidsen’s complaint to be admissible on June 29, 2010, and issued a notice directing the Vancouver Police Department to investigate this complaint pursuant to Division 3 of the Police Act.” Spindler didn’t say when the OPCC issued the order. No investigation took place until after the media found out.

Lame as they are, Parker’s and Spindler’s statements remain the OPCC’s strongest denials. The fact is, Lowe’s OPCC learned about Robinson’s actions weeks before the media found out. The OPCC knew that VPD Professional Standards had been conducting a cover-up. But instead of doing its duty, Lowe’s OPCC colluded in the cover-up. No Police Act investigation took place until after the media found out, more than six weeks after Robinson pushed his victim to the ground.

Oh, by the way, what’s the OPCC’s excuse for not ordering an investigation into the VPD Professional Standards officers? Spindler, like liar Rollie Woods, who’s B.C.’s deputy police complaint commissioner and a former head of VPD Professional Standards, dishonestly claimed the public hearing that Lowe very belatedly ordered into Robinson would also be a public hearing into the VPD Professional Standards cops.

But that didn’t happen, showing that Woods once again lied. After the Robinson hearing passed, Parker came up with a new excuse. Parker blamed prominent lawyer Mike Tammen. Parker claimed that it was up to Tammen, as OPCC counsel to the Robinson hearing, to recommend whether the hearing should deal with the VPD Professional Standards officers. Parker, in true OPCC style, lied.

Lowe called that hearing into Robinson and Robinson only. A public hearing into the VPD Professional Standards officers would have to be preceded by a Police Act investigation into those cops. Only then could Lowe order a public hearing into them. Lowe would have to issue a Notice of Public Hearing that names the cops and details the allegations against them. Lowe did none of those things and, as Parker’s and Spindler’s responses show, Lowe’s OPCC still refuses to order an investigation.

That’s perfectly understandable, given the collusion of Lowe’s OPCC with the VPD cover-up.

Read more about the Stan Lowe/Bruce Brown/Rollie Woods/OPCC cover-up
of VPD constable Taylor Robinson’s assault on a disabled woman
Read more about B.C.’s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner
Read more news and comment about police accountability in B.C.