Douglas Quan (Vancouver Sun) – An RCMP investigator in Toronto, who is gay, claims in a lawsuit that a “homophobic culture” within the force and unfounded child-sex-assault allegations led to a very public arrest on a golf course and lengthy suspension that ruined his reputation.
In 2004, four B.C. men accused Donald Cooke of sexually assaulting them when he coached them in minor hockey in the 1980s. B.C. prosecutors reviewed the evidence and recommended against charges.
But in May 2005, police went ahead and arrested Cooke. According to the lawsuit, officers in golf carts approached Cooke on the third green of a private golf course in Aurora, Ont., “for the purpose of maximizing the embarrassment and humiliation of Cooke.”
The force suspended Cooke.
After reviewing the case again, B.C. prosecutors concluded there was still not enough evidence to charge him. Insp. Tim Shields, a B.C. RCMP spokesman, denied the intent of investigators was to humiliate Cooke. He said RCMP were assisting Abbotsford police.
Sgt. Elly Sawchuk, an Abbotsford police spokeswoman, said investigators made the arrest despite the recommendation of Crown counsel because of new information they had received about other possible victims.
Abbotsford police are not named in the suit.
Recent Comments