The Calgary Police Commission’s (CPC) file review of a 1997 investigation into then-Const. Sean Chu has been forwarded to Alberta’s deputy ministers of justice and public safety, the Premier’s Office confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
At a Special Meeting of Council on Nov. 15, Calgary city councillors voted in favour of sending the review to the province. Chu also withdrew from deputy mayor duties after admitting to photographing the mayor’s licence plate in a secured parking garage. That photo surfaced among members of the public.
Coun. Courtney Walcott referenced several areas of the CPC review that could make a material difference how the province may handle the Chu situation.
“One of the revelations that came out of Commission’s review of the file is actually that an investigation (into the complaint against Chu) was never completed,” Walcott said on Tuesday.
“And that it actually stopped midway due to complaints against the officers that initially received the youth’s original complaint.”
Walcott also referenced the complaint and internal review processes, and how much has changed. He said based on the policies in 1997, the youth victim did everything they could to lodge a formal complaint, but wasn’t provided the information needed to follow the process through.
“With that information and that understanding, I think it’s worthwhile, that we at least have our provincial government weigh in on the new information that they would not have had when this conversation was originally had one year ago,” he said.
Last year, nine months before the CPC report was made public, then-Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver said after getting a legal opinion, there was little the province could do.
The Premier’s Office said they were willing to take another look. They’d received a letter from Mayor Jyoti Gondek requesting a file review.
“These allegations are serious and we do not take them lightly,” read a statement attributed to the Premier’s Office.
“Elected representatives at all levels need to conduct themselves in all matters with the highest standards of integrity and ethical behaviour.”
The files have been passed off “to determine whether any further action should be taken in light of findings outlined in the document,” the Premier’s Office statement read.
