A Victoria Police officer has been suspended for 20 days without pay after a review found he lied repeatedly about attending a 2018 conference.
Constable Marty Steen scheduled to attend a three-day conference on school safety in Vancouver in February of 2018. Over the three days, he submitted overtime and meal claims. Meals were provided at the conference and after his supervisor Deputy Chief Const. Steve Ing heard a rumour that Steen had only attended the first day of the conference, he confronted Steen on the discrepancy.
Steen said he attended all but two of the presentations. Later, he revised his statement, saying that while he attended all the sessions on Feb. 15, 2018, he only attended one session on Feb. 16.
An internal investigation paid for by Victoria Police found that Steen knowingly misled his supervisor when it came to his attendance.
In earlier disciplinary reviews, the proposed discipline was a reduction in rank. In Steen’s particular case, this would be a revocation of the pending promotion to sergeant.
Due to the seriousness of the complaint or alleged misconduct and the fact that the case could undermine public confidence, B.C. Police Complaint Commissioner Clayton Pecknold said a review was necessary.
In the disciplinary decision this week Ron McKinnon, a retired B.C. Supreme Court judge, found that with Steen’s long umblemished career “a 20-day suspension is the appropriate sanction in light of all circumstances.”
CHEK News
