Charged Surrey Six investigators still on payroll

[Winston_Smith]

Four Mounties who were charged in connection with the Surrey Six murder probe have been paid roughly $1 million combined since being suspended from the force, CTV News has learned.

Sgt. David Attew, Sgt. Derek Brassington, Cpl. Paul Johnston and Cpl. Danny Michaud were investigated after allegations arose that Brassington had slept with a witness in the 2007 case.

Further concerns about their conduct eventually led to a combined 20 criminal charges against the officers, including breach of trust, obstruction of justice, fraud and compromising the safety of a witness.

They were suspended in 2010, but remain on the payroll years later – a situation Jordan Bateman of the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation says is appalling.

“It’s been a waste of taxpayers’ money from the beginning. The fact that we are paying people accused of a crime to sit at home or run other businesses is shocking,” Bateman said.

The Surrey Six murders were committed in a high-rise apartment unit in October 2007. Two innocent bystanders, 22-year-old Chris Mohan and 55-year-old Ed Schellenberg, were among the victims.

Both Brassington and Attew have been charged with claiming false expenses and overtime while probing the case, while Johnston and Michaud are accused of trying to cover for them.

Last year, Attew purchased the X-Club Fitness gym in Port Coquitlam – but continues to receive his RCMP salary of about $90,000. Brassington now works in the construction industry.

CTV News recently caught up with the head of the RCMP, Commissioner Bob Paulson, who said he could not speak to the specifics of the case.

“I understand the public interest in all of our matters of discipline and conduct. And I think we’re moving the yard sticks going forward to try and get a system and a process that’s fair to the members, fair to the organization and ultimately fair to the public,” he said.

Paulson has previously promised changes in the force’s disciplinary system, which he says is outdated, but so far the process remains the same.

None of the suspended Mounties CTV News tracked down agreed to speak about the charges against them.

Their trial isn’t scheduled to get underway until September 2013.

Paulson said he has yet to decide whether the RCMP will pay for their legal counsel.

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/charged-surrey-six-investigators-still-on-payroll-1.1060024

[diggerdick]

Yes, and all of them will probably retire on full pension

And people on this forum will fight to the end saying that there's nothing wrong with the RCMP

[keith1612]

more RCMP corruption at its finest.
and the taxpayer still supplies wages,lawyers, benefits etc.
wish i could commit a crime and get govt paid holidays.

[Bsuds]

more RCMP corruption at its finest.
and the taxpayer still supplies wages,lawyers, benefits etc.
wish i could commit a crime and get govt paid holidays.

You can, it's called Jail!

[Ken7]

Yes, and all of them will probably retire on full pension

And people on this forum will fight to the end saying that there's nothing wrong with the RCMP

Just throwing this out there... are you suggesting as a result of these claims, if one of them retires they should not receive their pension?

I do hope they are charged if there is evidence however, I don't think the pension has anything to do with the crime they have been accused of.

Why should police be treated differently then you or I? The courts always look at previous records; I would suggest they have no prior convictions.

[diggerdick]

No I have no problem with corrupt incompetent thugs Collecting a pension.

This little dog and pony shows been going on for a lot of years

[keith1612]

You can, it's called Jail!

true we go to jail and they go to mexico, for the same crime.

[keith1612]

Just throwing this out there... are you suggesting as a result of these claims, if one of them retires they should not receive their pension?

I do hope they are charged if there is evidence however, I don't think the pension has anything to do with the crime they have been accused of.

Why should police be treated differently then you or I? The courts always look at previous records; I would suggest they have no prior convictions.

yes they should 100% lose their pensions and paid holidays waiting.
and they should be sued for every dollar they scammed returned.
they would have no need for pensions in prison.
bunch of scumbag criminals deserve no better treatment than any other street criminal.
they should also get double the punishment of anyone else.
time those who enforce the laws were held to the higher standards they demand they get treated.

[ticat900]

Paulson said he has yet to decide whether the RCMP will pay for their legal counsel.???

these suspended cops are not to blame when its comes to these scum bags still getting paid its people like Paulson whom are the real problem

[Fancy]

true we go to jail and they go to mexico, for the same crime.

I'm not understanding this - these men have been charged yet still need their day in court. It isn't about corruption if receiving a paycheque - I believe it's the Police Act that needs upgrading and change.

[FreeRights]

So let me get this straight ... Starting now, all persons charged with a crime are presumed guilty until proven innocent?

That is the only logic that one could follow to determine that people should be punished for crimes they have not been convicted of yet.

If you want to be annoyed at anyone, it has to be the justice system for taking too long.

[KL3-Something]

OK. So look past your own noses, prejudices and preconceived notions for a moment. These allegations stem from the intricacies of what is arguably the most significant murder investigation in BC's history (except maybe Air India or Pickton). The investigation that, while still ongoing to a certain extent, was probably one of the most involved, complicated and not to mention expensive. Do you actually think that they are going to give the trials for these four a higher priority than that of the main investigation that precipitated this one? In order to prove this case many of the privileged details pertaining to the main investigation would likely need to be revealed, thereby jeopardizing the integrity of the much larger, much more important case.

These guys will have their day in court. It will come. When it does, and if they acted inappropriately to the point of committing a criminal offence, you will all have your pound of flesh. In the mean time you are just going to have to suck up the fact that they are still to be considered innocent. The money that they are being paid (thrown away) while on administrative leave is a drop in the bucket when compared to what had been spent, and will be spent, on the bigger investigation and trial.

As for pensions....They paid into them for a lot of years before their transgressions brought them to this point. Just because they careers will likely end in disgrace for something they did at the end does not mean that all their years of [likely] more than satisfactory service should be wiped from the record.

[dogspoiler]

Wouldn't those be alledged transgressions KL ?

[KL3-Something]

Yes...alleged transgressions.

[keith1612]

So let me get this straight ... Starting now, all persons charged with a crime are presumed guilty until proven innocent?

That is the only logic that one could follow to determine that people should be punished for crimes they have not been convicted of yet.

If you want to be annoyed at anyone, it has to be the justice system for taking too long.

yes thats 100% correct.
when police pull us over they convict us on the spot do they not?
most criminal charges result in a loss of not only earnings but also your job.
if the police and government feel this standard is fine for us then they should also live to it.
nobody gives me a free lawyer, paid 2-4 years off.
no they should get the exact same guilty until proven innocent they are forcing on us.