A lawyer for three British Columbia RCMP officers facing dismissal over allegations of taking part in racist group chats says they want a three-member hearing panel removed over the use of a 鈥渄isparaging鈥� term in an email.
An RCMP code of conduct hearing began today to determine whether Coquitlam RCMP constables Ian Solven, Philip Dick, and Mersad Mesbah committed discreditable conduct for comments made in private group chats on their personal cellphones, and on police data terminals.
One of their lawyers, Wes Dutcher-Walls, told the panel that they want them removed after a screenshot of an email was obtained between panel members that refers to the officers as the 鈥渢hree amigos.鈥�
Dutcher-Walls says there are 鈥渟erious concerns鈥� that the board鈥檚 use of the 鈥渄isparaging term鈥� indicates its decisions are 鈥減redetermined,鈥� and the hearing was adjourned until Wednesday to determine if the board should recuse itself.
He says conduct boards that sit in judgment and make decisions that could affect the lives and careers of RCMP members 鈥渘eed to be above reproach.鈥�
Mesbah, Solven and Dick all deny allegations of workplace harassment and discreditable conduct that is alleged to have occurred between January 2019 and May 2021.
