RCMP Assistant Commissioner Craig Callens has said he will review the written decision of an RCMP disciplinary board that punished Staff. Sgt. Travis Pearson by docking his pay 10 days for having sex in his police cruiser.
Callens, commanding officer for the B.C. RCMP, issued a statement following the disciplinary decision Feb. 9 against Pearson, an RCMP officer who at one time was in charge of professional standards at the North Vancouver detachment.
In December, Pearson admitted to being guilty of disgraceful conduct for having on-the-job sex in his police car with Const. Susan Gastaldo, a female officer who was working as his subordinate in a special surveillance unit in Burnaby.
Pearson also admitted to using his RCMP Blackberry to send numerous sexual text messages to Gastaldo.
But Pearson vehemently denied other allegations levelled at him during the disciplinary hearing, including complaints by Gastaldo that Pearson sexually harassed her and forced her into the relationship.
The board decided that Gastaldo had not been forced and that the affair was consensual.
Pearson also denied accusations of sexual harassment made by a civilian employee of the North Vancouver RCMP, who told the tribunal that Pearson stalked her and forced her into a sexual relationship while the two worked together at the North Vancouver detachment.
In making its decision, the tribunal made it clear it was not considering the evidence of that witness, who testified under subpoena as part of Gastaldo's defence.
It also did not deal with other allegations that Pearson lied to superiors about the affair with Gastaldo.
In a statement issued on the result of the disciplinary hearing, Callens said he was "not able to make an informed comment with respect to why the appropriate officer of the day proceeded with a single allegation in this case."
Callens added, "In this particular case, whether I wanted to or not, there was no option for me as the new commanding officer to add to the allegation of the disgraceful conduct heard in this matter, due to the one-year limitation period."
Callens said in his statement he is reviewing active RCMP disciplinary files "to determine if the allegations and sanctions being sought are consistent with my view and expectations regarding member conduct and discipline.
"Going forward, I have been clear that accountability is my top priority."
Gastaldo, who will learn her fate from the disciplinary board later this month, is still suing the RCMP in civil court.
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