Household of cop who killed self after relations with superiors sues VPD

Nicole Chan died by suicide in January 2019 after 9 years with the VPD.

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The household of a former Vancouver cop who took her personal life after intimate relationships with senior officers is suing the town, the B.C. authorities, the Vancouver Police Division, board and union, and the officers.

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Nicole Chan died by suicide in January 2019 after 9 years with the VPD.

An investigation by the Workplace of the Police Grievance Commissioner decided Sgt. David Van Patten had an inappropriate relationship with Chan whereas serving as a human assets officer for the division. Van Patten was dismissed a yr after Chan’s dying for discreditable conduct.

One other officer, Sgt. Greg McCullough, was handed a 15-day suspension in 2018 after a relationship with Chan, regardless of “understanding that (Chan) was in a susceptible state mentally and emotionally,” in line with the grievance fee. McCullough has since resigned from the VPD.

The civil swimsuit claims Van Patten and different officers sexually harassed, sexually assaulted and intimidated Chan utilizing their rank whereas she was employed as a junior officer. It additionally says the VPD, board and union didn’t create a protected working tradition and insurance policies that allowed the “culpable conduct” of the officers towards Chan to proceed for years.

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Based on the swimsuit, Chan and McCullough began a relationship in 2015 regardless of each being married to different individuals. McCullough allegedly didn’t inform his superiors in regards to the relationship and urged Chan to do the identical.

In early 2016, Chan met Van Patten when she utilized for a brand new place inside the VPD. Whereas the applying was unsuccessful, Van Patten started to textual content and flirt with Chan till he pressed her into an intimate relationship throughout a piece journey. He too failed to inform the employer and urged Chan to maintain it secret, in line with the lawsuit.

“Van Patten knew, or should have recognized, that Nicole was (a) susceptible particular person with a current historical past of psychological misery associated to intimate relationships amongst different triggers,” reads the swimsuit, which notes Van Patten was the human assets officer dealing with Chan’s file when she went to her supervisors about her deteriorating psychological well being.

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Van Patten is accused of threatening Chan with proof of her prior relationship with McCullough, with whom he had develop into associates, by exposing the connection to each their spouses. He demanded to proceed his sexual relationship with Chan in alternate for not telling Chan’s husband or McCullough’s spouse.

The swimsuit additionally claims the division didn’t have enough insurance policies to guard susceptible officers like Chan from exploitation by their superiors.

The plaintiffs, who additionally embody Chan’s mom, are looking for damages together with lack of enjoyment of life and revenue help, psychiatric damage and “nervous shock.” It claims “Nicole’s suicide was brought on or contributed to by the defendants.”

Jenn Chan, who filed the declare on behalf of her sister’s property, has instructed Postmedia that her sister complained to the police chief in 2017 about inappropriate relationships with the 2 senior officers. She was placed on stress go away, and an inner investigation into the 2 different officers was launched.

Jenn Chan stated she believed the officers’ conduct performed a task in Nicole’s deteriorating psychological state, sense of self and self-worth, which finally led to her taking her personal life.

The lawsuit was filed in January however solely got here to mild just lately. No response has been filed and not one of the claims have been confirmed in court docket.

When you or somebody you already know is having ideas of suicide, name 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE), or name your native disaster centre. Assist is obtainable in over 140 languages. You can too attain the psychological well being help line at 310-6789.

— With a file from Tiffany Crawford