A brief mention of an abusive relationship between a Vancouver police officer and a teen he met at school in a recent police watchdog report shows a need for more transparency around the identities of officers who commit misconduct, says a civil liberties advocate.
Without knowing the officer’s name, the public has no way of knowing if he went on to work with another police department or to work with young adults, said Meghan McDermott, policy director with the BC Civil Liberties Association.
“Where is he now? He might be working as a member of the RCMP somewhere and he might be in a school in the Okanagan. We don’t know,” McDermott said.
What power imbalance? Because he’s a cop? Should police officers not be allowed to have relationships with non-cops?
(Yes, I know about the 40% rule – but it was determined nothing illegal had happened here.)
I saw that yes. Let me put it to you this way – Either the law should be amended so that what he did be illegal, or we should leave the former officer alone.
We don’t know what he did, and some forms of abuse can’t really be made illegal. Perhaps he was merely unfaithful, or called her a bitch when they fought – should these really be crimes?
(and you didn’t answer my question – what power imbalance?)