Vancouver's top cop faces new probe

B.C.'s police complaints commissioner has ordered an external investigation into allegations that outgoing Vancouver police Chief Jamie Graham failed to co-operate with an RCMP investigation into 50 complaints of misconduct by officers.

Dirk Ryneveld's order overturns a decision by Mayor Sam Sullivan who— as chair of the Vancouver Police Board— dismissed complaints against Graham by the Pivot Legal Society.

In 2003, Pivot filed 50 complaints of police misconductwith the police complaints office, and Ryneveld ordered the RCMP to look into the allegations.

The RCMP found some of the complaints had merit. It alsosaidthat in many cases, Vancouver police officers failed to co-operate with the Mounties.

In a report at the time, Ryneveld noted that theVancouver Police Boardmanagement's instructions to junior officers to co-operate with investigators were "half-hearted" and "ineffective."

That prompted another formal complaint by Pivot eight months later, alleging Graham himself had failed to co-operate with the RCMP investigation and didn't order junior officers to co-operate.

Last month, Sullivan dismissed the complaint.

On Thursday, Ryneveld overturned Sullivan's decision, and ordered an investigation into Graham's conduct.

Grahamannounced he will retire in August, but Ryneveld said that doesn't mean the chief can't be disciplined, notingthe provisions of the Police Act do not expire when an officer retires.

It hasn't been determined who will conduct the latest investigation.