The tradition continues. Victoria's chief of police is a filthy lowlife swine. Is it wrong that I find this funny? Nope.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/victoria+police+chief+humiliated+beyond+words+about+inappropriate+twitter+messages/11569725/story.html#ixzz3tqGzjlbC
Victoria police chief 'humiliated beyond words' about inappropriate Twitter messages
Frank Elsner to continue to lead force after admitting communication with subordinate's wife
Victoria police chief Frank Elsner says he is ashamed and humiliated by his own actions after exchanging inappropriate messages with the wife of a subordinate officer.
Photograph by: Adrian Lam , Times- olonist
VICTORIA — Victoria's police chief says he's ashamed and humiliated by his own actions in exchanging inappropriate messages over social media with the wife of a subordinate officer.
Frank Elsner said Sunday that he was the subject of a recent internal police board investigation involving his conduct, but has emerged with the continued confidence of the board and intends to continue leading the force. He also apologized to his department.
"I'm humiliated beyond words," he told The Vancouver Sun.
He said he's also spoken to the officer whose wife was involved and his family about the incident.
"I'm ashamed of my actions," said Elsner. "I'm better than that. I know better than that. And I think part of this, the learning opportunity, is that you stand up and tell the truth, and learn from it, and move on."
Elsner has led the Victoria force for almost two years. He's married with two daughters, and said his wife is fully aware of what happened.
In September, he said, the civilian police board became aware of an allegation against him.
"An allegation was made against me, that based on direct messages off of Twitter, that I had an inappropriate relationship with a female. The board notified me of that and they hired an independent lawyer to do the investigation. The investigation was completed and last week I was notified.
"They found that there was no inappropriate relationship. However, I should not have engaged in the direct messages in the first place and I fully agree."
The woman is a police officer in a neighbouring department. Her husband works in the Victoria Police Department under Elsner's command.
"When this first broke, he and I spoke and he said he believed that no relationship took place," said Elsner. "There was none."
But it was "the tone" of the conversations that was wrong, he said. "I know it was, because I shut it down. I'm the one that said, 'No we cannot communicate any further.' Months before it came to light."
The board's investigation concluded Friday.
Barb Desjardins, mayor of Esquimalt and co-chair of the Victoria Police Board, initially tried to sidestep The Sun's questions about whether an investigation had been conducted. Instead, she repeatedly stated on Friday: "there's no investigation at this time" and "there are/were no formal complaints put forward."
But within 24 hours she was forced to admit an investigation had occurred.
"There has been an investigation and that has been dealt with, completed, and the board is in full support of the police chief," said Desjardins on Saturday.
Dejardins would say little else, refusing to discuss the allegations or whether Elsner was disciplined by either her or Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. The two mayors share co-leadership of the civilian board because the Victoria force polices both Victoria and Esquimalt. Helps referred questions to Desjardins, who is the board's official spokeswoman.
"It's not fair to an investigation that is confidential to have it out in the media," Desjardins said Saturday.
Elsner also said whether he was disciplined is a private matter, but the incident is on his personnel file.
Frank Elsner said Sunday that he was the subject of a recent internal police board investigation involving his conduct, but has emerged with the continued confidence of the board and intends to continue leading the force. He also apologized to his department.
"I'm humiliated beyond words," he told The Vancouver Sun.
He said he's also spoken to the officer whose wife was involved and his family about the incident.
"I'm ashamed of my actions," said Elsner. "I'm better than that. I know better than that. And I think part of this, the learning opportunity, is that you stand up and tell the truth, and learn from it, and move on."
Elsner has led the Victoria force for almost two years. He's married with two daughters, and said his wife is fully aware of what happened.
In September, he said, the civilian police board became aware of an allegation against him.
"An allegation was made against me, that based on direct messages off of Twitter, that I had an inappropriate relationship with a female. The board notified me of that and they hired an independent lawyer to do the investigation. The investigation was completed and last week I was notified.
"They found that there was no inappropriate relationship. However, I should not have engaged in the direct messages in the first place and I fully agree."
The woman is a police officer in a neighbouring department. Her husband works in the Victoria Police Department under Elsner's command.
"When this first broke, he and I spoke and he said he believed that no relationship took place," said Elsner. "There was none."
But it was "the tone" of the conversations that was wrong, he said. "I know it was, because I shut it down. I'm the one that said, 'No we cannot communicate any further.' Months before it came to light."
The board's investigation concluded Friday.
Barb Desjardins, mayor of Esquimalt and co-chair of the Victoria Police Board, initially tried to sidestep The Sun's questions about whether an investigation had been conducted. Instead, she repeatedly stated on Friday: "there's no investigation at this time" and "there are/were no formal complaints put forward."
But within 24 hours she was forced to admit an investigation had occurred.
"There has been an investigation and that has been dealt with, completed, and the board is in full support of the police chief," said Desjardins on Saturday.
Dejardins would say little else, refusing to discuss the allegations or whether Elsner was disciplined by either her or Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. The two mayors share co-leadership of the civilian board because the Victoria force polices both Victoria and Esquimalt. Helps referred questions to Desjardins, who is the board's official spokeswoman.
"It's not fair to an investigation that is confidential to have it out in the media," Desjardins said Saturday.
Elsner also said whether he was disciplined is a private matter, but the incident is on his personnel file.
B.C.'s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner confirmed it received an internal investigation report from the Victoria police board.
Commissioner Stan Lowe, the civilian who oversees police conduct issues, will review the report and has the power to order his own investigation if he identifies issues that are matters of public trust, said deputy commissioner Rollie Woods.
Elsner came to Victoria after serving as chief of the Greater Sudbury Police Department. He has also been a member of the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police.
Victoria's civilian police board is responsible under law for oversight of the force. But Desjardins said it had no obligation to explain to the public what happened in this case.
"The whole thing about personnel matters is that the personnel be given fair opportunity and fair discussion," she said. "There is no disclosure unless it's a public trust matter."
"The matter has been resolved to the board's satisfaction," she said, adding "the board is very happy with this chief."
Elsner was facing growing discontent from the rank and file of the department over the weekend, as rumours circulated about his conduct with an officer's wife.
He apologized to staff in an email Sunday, asking to move forward "together as a department."
"I learned many things during this investigation about how I will conduct myself in the future," he wrote. "I have also learned how much of a toll these lengthy, process-driven investigations take on all the people affected by them. As your Chief, I pledge to make the changes necessary in our process to be far more humane in our approach."
Desjardins on Saturday had decried the continuing rumours within the department, and said she was frustrated officers hadn't contacted her or filed a formal complaint if they were concerned about the chief.
"We all want what's best for the force," added Desjardins. "We all need to deal with the facts and the appropriate ability to investigate and resolve issues."
Elsner said he is "nesting and reconnecting" with his family.
"My wife's been aware of this investigation from the start. In fact, she was aware of this when I shut the thing down. I told her about it at the time because it was just so stupid," he told The Sun. "This has been an incredibly difficult time for me but, I want to acknowledge, difficult for all the people involved. I take full responsibility for my actions, no caveats. And the board accepted that and we're moving on together."
The Victoria police department has suffered through several years of high-profile, embarrassing issues involving its police chiefs.
Former chief Jamie Graham, who retired in 2013, was disciplined after publicly revealing an undercover officer had been the driver of a bus filled with anti-Olympic protesters before the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He was also found in neglect of duty after leaving his loaded service pistol under the seat of his unmarked vehicle in the Victoria department's parkade. Graham had previously served as Vancouver's police chief.
Before Graham, the Victoria department was headed by Paul Battershill, who was forced to resign in 2008 after an affair with a police board lawyer and a rebellion by senior staff who had lost confidence in his leadership and refused to work with him.
Victoria's police board was sharply criticized at that time for its slow handling of the Battershill case and apparent obliviousness to deep discontent within the rank and file.
Ultimately, Victoria taxpayers were left in the dark about allegations against Battershill for more than a year because they were deemed a confidential "personnel matter."
Commissioner Stan Lowe, the civilian who oversees police conduct issues, will review the report and has the power to order his own investigation if he identifies issues that are matters of public trust, said deputy commissioner Rollie Woods.
Elsner came to Victoria after serving as chief of the Greater Sudbury Police Department. He has also been a member of the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police.
Victoria's civilian police board is responsible under law for oversight of the force. But Desjardins said it had no obligation to explain to the public what happened in this case.
"The whole thing about personnel matters is that the personnel be given fair opportunity and fair discussion," she said. "There is no disclosure unless it's a public trust matter."
"The matter has been resolved to the board's satisfaction," she said, adding "the board is very happy with this chief."
Elsner was facing growing discontent from the rank and file of the department over the weekend, as rumours circulated about his conduct with an officer's wife.
He apologized to staff in an email Sunday, asking to move forward "together as a department."
"I learned many things during this investigation about how I will conduct myself in the future," he wrote. "I have also learned how much of a toll these lengthy, process-driven investigations take on all the people affected by them. As your Chief, I pledge to make the changes necessary in our process to be far more humane in our approach."
Desjardins on Saturday had decried the continuing rumours within the department, and said she was frustrated officers hadn't contacted her or filed a formal complaint if they were concerned about the chief.
"We all want what's best for the force," added Desjardins. "We all need to deal with the facts and the appropriate ability to investigate and resolve issues."
Elsner said he is "nesting and reconnecting" with his family.
"My wife's been aware of this investigation from the start. In fact, she was aware of this when I shut the thing down. I told her about it at the time because it was just so stupid," he told The Sun. "This has been an incredibly difficult time for me but, I want to acknowledge, difficult for all the people involved. I take full responsibility for my actions, no caveats. And the board accepted that and we're moving on together."
The Victoria police department has suffered through several years of high-profile, embarrassing issues involving its police chiefs.
Former chief Jamie Graham, who retired in 2013, was disciplined after publicly revealing an undercover officer had been the driver of a bus filled with anti-Olympic protesters before the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He was also found in neglect of duty after leaving his loaded service pistol under the seat of his unmarked vehicle in the Victoria department's parkade. Graham had previously served as Vancouver's police chief.
Before Graham, the Victoria department was headed by Paul Battershill, who was forced to resign in 2008 after an affair with a police board lawyer and a rebellion by senior staff who had lost confidence in his leadership and refused to work with him.
Victoria's police board was sharply criticized at that time for its slow handling of the Battershill case and apparent obliviousness to deep discontent within the rank and file.
Ultimately, Victoria taxpayers were left in the dark about allegations against Battershill for more than a year because they were deemed a confidential "personnel matter."
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/victoria+police+chief+humiliated+beyond+words+about+inappropriate+twitter+messages/11569725/story.html#ixzz3tqGzjlbC
