It was not supposed to come to this when Inspector. Sukhjit Manj has a long-cherished desire to become an RCMP officer.
The 23-year veteran has been suspended with pay since 2017 on charges that he did not do their job properly when he ran the detachment of the RCMP in Lloydminster, on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.
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Today, the internal code-of-conduct the trial began in Richmond, BC
Manj initially faced 14 charges relating to the two years he spent in Lloydminster, from 2014 to 2016. Now there are only four after the rest gradually drops.
The core of the conflict – and three of the charges – related to the handling of concerns about a romantic relationship between two employees under his command in Lloydminster, part of the K Division (Alberta).
Manj finds inappropriate contact and inappropriate, but his superiors thought it was none of his business.
Allegations relating to the end of an internal investigation that occurred after he was transferred back to BC – E Division, where he has spent the rest of his career.
‘If they want to cheat … it’s their problem’
The relationship in question is an affair between two married employees – RCMP dog handler and a civilian employee.
Civilian employees complained to the superintendent Manj about his question, saying he was “digging into his personal life.”
At the hearing, the lawyer Manj, Stephen Rogers, shows a woman lying when he complained to the boss because he’s been in a sexual relationship with the dog handler even though he says he does not.
One Manj’s boss, Chief Inspector Shahin Mehdizadeh responsible of Central Alberta, testified that he checked with Manj because there was concern about the stress on the problem.
He said the brass does not think the relationship was a problem saying “if they want to cheat on their partner it’s their problem.”
Manj is a member of the operational-voice he said, but the necessary “soft skills” to manage people.
Manj ‘did a very good job’
On the stand today, Manj former boss Chief Supt. Wendell Reimer Manj questioned by lawyers about her memories of some conversation he had with Manj.
Reimer oversees 26 detachments, including Lloydminster, more than a quarter of Alberta included 500 RCMP officers and 200 civilian employees.
Reimer has a record of some conversation he had with Manj described as a highlight on the relationship in the office.
Reimer said he was doing “an excellent job in the community” and ran a good detachment and the community served as far as he was “knocked out of the park”.
Inspectors described by those who knew him as a police officer honored and very good.
The hearing lasted 5 days
The RCMP has a policy of interpersonal relationships in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest, exploitation officers in lines of reporting and misuse of RCMP property and equipment.
Charges against Manj is that he failed to carry out a lawful order and direction, not acting fairly and impartially, and fail to be diligent in the performance of his duties including taking appropriate action to help every person exposed to danger.
Finally, he also suspected he did not give a complete and accurate report of what happened.
The trial is set to go on for five days before Gerry Annetts, a former RCMP officer who is now an internal adjudicator based in Ottawa.
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