Ottawa police defend their investigations of Nunavut RCMP

An inspector with the Ottawa Police Service says he's confident all the investigations his organization has done of RCMP conduct in Nunavut were free from racial bias.

On Tuesday, Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Paul Okalik called for the Nunavut RCMP's arrangement with Ottawa police as an outside investigating agency to be terminated. This was in reaction to Ottawa police officer Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar posting racist comments from his Facebook account after Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook's body was discovered in the Rideau River.

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Insp. Jamie Dunlop, who is in charge of major case investigations, said Hrnchiar — a senior forensic officer who's been with the force for three decades — wasn't involved in the investigation into Pootoogook's death nor was Hrnchiar ever sent to Nunavut to investigate a case.

"These comments of one individual don't reflect the values of the organization," Dunlop said.

'It's about investigating the facts'

Since the agreement was signed in 2012, Ottawa police have done 14 investigations in Nunavut and charged two RCMP civilian guards on separate counts of sex assault and letting a suspect escape. 

"It's about investigating the facts as they come through," said Dunlop. 

"So individuals whether they belong to a certain culture or race, whether they have mental incapacities, things of that nature, we look for the evidence to help steer us and we also consider where the person is coming from to the best of our abilities and if we need outside assistance in the communities to learn more about a particular culture we're not familiar with, we build those relationships."

Outside agency needed

Senator Vernon White spent 19 years in the North, including two years as the commanding officer for the RCMP in Nunavut. White was also the chief of the Ottawa Police Service when the memorandum of understanding was signed between the two police forces, and the Government of Nunavut. 

"To suggest for one minute that the comments of any officer or any employee represent the whole is unfair," said White, in Ottawa.

"So, as much as I respect the former premier, and I would have considered Paul a friend actually, I don't think Paul is correct in this case. I think you have to have an outside agency doing oversight when that is needed. The best case for Nunavut would be to have one here." 

Hrnchiar is still working but he's on desk duty and not participating in any active police investigation. Meanwhile the probe into his racist comments is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.

• Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook found dead in Ottawa