Andy Ivens, B.C. (Vancouver Province) – A married RCMP couple are suing the government and three of their superior officers over alleged harassment on the job.
In a writ filed in B.C. Supreme Court last week, constables Jason and Sasha MacLean claim that Staff-Sgt. Kurt Lozinski, commanding officer of the Oliver-Osoyoos detachment, Sgt. Kevin Schur and Cpl. Michael Field acted improperly toward them.
The malicious treatment began in 2008, says the MacLeans’ statement of claim.
“On or about 2008, the defendants [Lozinski, Schur and Field] independently or together adopted a manner of dealing with the plaintiffs which was harassing and was intended to be so, and/or was intimidating, all of which followed a series of medical leaves of, or medical restrictions placed on, the plaintiffs,” says the writ.
The MacLeans say they were intimidated by pressure tactics intended to get them to work when they were unable to.
Sasha MacLean, who was on maternity leave from December 2006 to December 2007, injured her shoulder in a training accident in June 2008.
Jason suffered “a medical event which required hospitalization” in March 2008 and went on long-term medical leave.
The MacLeans claim Schur questioned the quality of treatment they were receiving from their doctors and suggested Jason’s doctors “were not qualified.”
The MacLeans eventually filed a harassment complaint. Then, they say, Lozinski sent out an email to detachment staff telling them not to have any contact with them.
“In frustration, [Jason] took the matter to the commander of E Division [Deputy Commissioner] Gary Bass, who in February 2009 ordered an investigation,” says the statement of claim.
None of the allegations against the defendants has been proven.
Recent Comments