A veteran Victoria police officer has been suspended with pay and is the subject of criminal and Police Act investigations after a man was assaulted in police cells, Chief Jamie Graham announced Monday.
On Jan. 15, a 33-year-old man was arrested for violating court conditions and taken to the cells in the Victoria police headquarters on Caledonia Avenue. The sergeant monitoring the cells — identified as Sgt. George Chong — is accused of using force against the man, although the reasons for doing so were not made clear at a news conference yesterday.
“During the booking-in process, an incident occurred and the prisoner received injuries that required hospital treatment,” Graham said during a news conference.
That has led to an allegation of assault against Chong, who might have violated the department’s use-of-force policy.
Provincial cabinet minister Ida Chong confirmed that her brother is the subject of the complaint.
“It’s very troubling for all of us, for him and his family,” she said in a phone interview Monday. “I can only wish the matter is dealt with quickly.”
This is not the first time Chong, who is in his late 40s, has been investigated by the department.
He pleaded guilty to an off-duty assault that occurred in June 2008, which resulted in a written reprimand from Victoria police. A provincial court judge handed Chong a conditional discharge and nine months’ probation, as well as ordering him to undergo anger-management counselling.
Ida Chong, minister of Healthy Living and Sport, said she does not know whether her brother was attending anger-management classes. She said he has the support of his wife and children, and wants to continue to serve his community as a police officer.
Graham refused to name either the injured man or the officer, but did say the sergeant has 28 years of service with the department. Chong has been with the force for 28 years.
The speed with which the prisoner received medical attention is also under investigation, said Graham, as 30 to 45 minutes passed before he was taken to hospital.
Graham was vague on the details of the incident, saying only that the man received injuries to his face. He said he can’t go into specifics because the matter is being investigated. “I intend to make the findings public when appropriate.”
The sergeant disclosed the incident to his superiors later that day, Graham said, adding that there was enough information to warrant his suspension. The officer is co-operating with the investigation, Graham said.
Members of the Vancouver Police Department, who will lead the criminal investigation, are on their way to Victoria to talk to the officer.
The incident was captured on video cameras in the jail cells. While Graham said he has not watched the recording, it will be examined by the Vancouver officers as part of the investigation.
The Victoria department’s professional standards section will conduct a parallel internal Police Act investigation, which will be monitored by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.
Police Complaint Commissioner spokesman Bruce Brown said the victim has not filed a complaint. The victim has recovered from his injuries and Deputy Chief John Ducker has contacted him and apologized.
“The incident is troubling,” Graham said, but added that it has to be put in the context of the 5,000 to 7,000 inmates a year that are processed in the cells.
As a result of excessive-force allegations in the past, Graham decided that a sergeant should supervise the cells around the clock. Asked if this policy backfired, Graham said it’s too early to tell.
Graham would not say whether the prisoner did anything to provoke the officer, but police spokesman Sgt. Grant Hamilton said the 33-year-old man was sober when arrested. He did not say whether the man was known to police.
Graham could not say how long the investigations will take but added: “This will receive rapid attention. I want the facts quickly so we can make decisions quickly.”
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