Nelson police force depleted following avalanche deaths and WhatsApp scandal

The police department in Nelson, B.C., has been facing a shortage of officers since the beginning of this year.

Nelson Police Chief Const. Donovan Fisher said his department, which has a maximum capacity of 21 officers, is currently experiencing a minor strain, partly due to the tragic loss of two officers who died in an avalanche in Kaslo, approximately 54 kilometres northeast of Nelson, in January. 

Additionally, six officers have either resigned or retired from the force during the course of this year.

Fisher said some of those who resigned were named in an investigation into the participation of eight officers in a WhatsApp chat group and the sharing of inappropriate content and messages, including alleged racist comment.

The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC), a civilian body responsible for handling complaints against municipal police forces in B.C. 

Nelson police said in March that "both current and retired Nelson Police Department members facing allegations of discreditable conduct have had these allegations substantiated." 

It went on to say an allegation of neglect of duty against one officer was also substantiated.

Although Fisher did not disclose the exact number of officers who resigned following their involvement in the investigation, he explains some officers decided to retire due to health concerns and their desire to spend more time with family.

"We were somewhat expecting that this year they were within retirement age and likely going to retire, so it wasn't an unexpected move," he said.

5 new police officers to begin duties this summer 

Nelson, with a population exceeding 11,000, is the sole municipality in B.C.'s Interior region that maintains its own municipal police department. 

According to the B.C. government, there are 11 active municipal police forces in the province. They are fully covered by respective municipal governments through local property taxes. 

Sixty-three municipalities in B.C. contract with the province for RCMP municipal police services.

Fisher mentions that since Jan. 1, the Nelson Police Department has hired five new officers, although they have not begun their duties. He hopes they will be able to join the force in late July and throughout August. 

Fisher also states the department expects to hire an additional police officer in September, and is in the process of hiring two community safety officers, who wear uniforms that are distinct from police officers, to patrol the streets of downtown.

In an email statement to CBC News, Nelson Mayor Janice Morrison says the RCMP has agreed to assist in filling the staffing gaps within the Nelson Police Department during the summer. 

"Despite the recent changes and challenges, the Nelson Police Department remains fully committed to providing excellent and uninterrupted service," she said in the written statement.