May 13th, 2009
RCMP Pays $1 Million for Harassment
Ex-RCMP Officer Harassed on Job Gets $1 Million
Staff sergeant, 2 other officers caused woman ‘serious psychological harm,’ judge rules
By Gerry Bellett
Vancouver Sun
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
MERRITT – A former Merritt RCMP officer has been awarded almost $1 million in damages after harassment by her commanding officer caused her to become clinically depressed and led to her quitting the force.
It is believed to be the highest harassment award made against the RCMP by a Canadian court, said Kamloops lawyer Barry Carter, who argued the case for ex-Mountie Nancy Sulz.
Sulz said Monday she’s still in shock from the award, but “no amount of money could replace the career that was taken away from me.”
“I had always wanted to be a police officer since I was a child. But I can’t do that work anymore. This whole thing has taken 10 years of my life. It’s been tough on my family and my friends,” she said.
Kamloops B.C. Supreme Court Justice George Lamperson awarded Sulz a total of $950,000 in damages, lost wages and loss of future earnings after finding Staff Sgt. Donald Smith and two subordinate officers caused Sulz “serious psychological harm.”
The RCMP has 30 days in which to appeal.
Lamperson ruled that Smith breached his duty by failing to ensure Sulz could work in a harassment-free environment as set out in RCMP regulations.
However, while the officer’s conduct was unreasonable and insensitive, there was no evidence he “deliberately set out to harass the plaintiff and drive her from the RCMP”, said the judge, who found Smith’s old school management style no longer acceptable.
“Although his manner was abrupt, demanding and unfeeling, his actions were consistent with his experience of the paramilitary command structure of the RCMP. It is clear, especially in light of the establishment and dissemination of a specific harassment policy that this command style was no longer appropriate in the modern RCMP,” Lamperson said.
Sulz said the ruling should be a wake-up call to the RCMP.
“I lost my job because I had a baby. I’m sure I’m not the only female member that’s had this happen to them. I complained twice [to superiors] because I wanted to keep working, but nothing happened,” she said.
Sulz joined the RCMP in 1988 and was in the Merritt detachment when Smith took command in 1994. At the time, she was contemplating a full career in the force, she testified.
Sulz testified her troubles began in 1994 when she was on medical leave due to complications from her second pregnancy. While off work she went on a shopping trip to Bellingham (home of the Workplace Bullying & Trauma Institute) without obtaining Smith’s permission.
She said she didn’t realize she had violated policy but was told by Sgt. Ron Angel that he and Smith were annoyed at what she had done and she would have to pay the price.(An RCMP inspector testified that this policy was not well known and has since been discontinued.)
When she returned to work she found that auxiliary constables were instructed not to ride with her because she was said to be manipulative and afraid of the dark. Because of the way she was being treated, her physical and mental health deteriorated, she lost nine kilograms (20 pounds), was constantly on the verge of tears and was unable to sleep.
In 1995, an RCMP psychologist recommended she work only part time. She was diagnosed as having major depressive disorder in February 1996 and told to take sick leave.
The psychologist then received an angry phone call from Smith suggesting that Sulz might have a drug-dependency problem, something he reported to RCMP headquarters, she said.
In 1997, “E” Division headquarters began a formal investigation into Sulz’s 48 complaints against Smith and found five allegations were founded, two could not be determined and the rest unfounded — based on the fact that it was her word against his and there was no corroborating evidence.
The findings came out in 1998 after Smith had left the force. Asked what she would do if any of her children wanted to join the RCMP she said: “I’d have my son pursue it, but I’d be very iffy about the girls.”
DAMAGE AWARD:
Here is how the almost $1 million in damages, lost wages and loss of future earnings was awarded:
$125,000, General damages
$600,000, Future wage loss
$225,000, Past wage loss
Total: $950,000
Tags: court victory, RCMP
This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 2:49 pm and is filed under Court Rulings, Social Justice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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It is unfortunate that many men and women in the RCMP have this same experience… and it continues even today as the senior management are apathetic to the issue of bullying in the workplace.
I am going through exactly the same thing at the moment with the RCMP. I have been threatened with mental health assessments because I’ve been complaining about the harassment that’s going on and documenting it. GP said the assessment wasn’t necessary and punitive as did my psychologist but I attended anyway and was passed ok. I’ve been harassed numerous times,live in a small town and am in fear of my well being as a result because I have no where to run to for help. Am not at work currently as was walked out of the building for doing absolutely nothing. Unable to even pick up my personal items. Am treated like a criminal by my colleagues and senior management. They’ve done everything possible to intimidate me. I’ve never known anything like it. If I wasn’t a stronger person I can see how a person could easily end up suicidally depressed. I’ve been off work now for nearly three weeks. Nobody has called to make sure I’m ok. I could be swinging from a noose by now. They wouldn’t care. It is all a head game.
Rachel, hang in there you are not alone.
So what is going to happen when some hard core criminal yells at you and calls you names? Are you going to cry. The RCMP is not a job for emotional basket cases. It is serious work. Maybe you will just take your gun a shoot the offender? The rcmp is today at the worst low in public opinion in the 130 years of its existence. How many innocent peoples lives have the RCMP destroyed to date? I believe it is because they have hired people that should never have been hired in the first place.
Perhaps I am wrong? But 1 million of taxpayers money has just went down the drain.
Paul, You are an Idiot!
Think about what you say before you say anything. Now, read over what you wrote and think about it again. Good luck with your future!
Yes Rachel, hang in there. There are many of us out there like you who have been treated very poorly. You’ve got the top brass complaining that the commissioner was mean to them, threw paper at them and humiliated them. Well to the house of commons I say welcome to the RCMP. Abuse of power is constant everyday. Get a lawyer Rachel. I recommend Marjorie Brown who has experience in dealing with the force and her fees are reasonable. Good luck!
Paul – All I can say and hope for you is Karma
Buddy what can be said about you? I mean other than the fact that you have the same mindset as the worst offenders in the RCMP. Here’s hoping that one day you, too, have the pleasure of being harassed to the point of illness by a supervisor…maybe then your smug attitude will disappear…karma is a bitch buddy…
I am a female who was a municipal employee at the RCMP detachment. I was severeley harrassed by my female supervisor who was dating the top cop. All of my complaints were dismissed. I finally left the employ of the city. I returned to school and found other employment – but the damage remains to this day. This experience continues to have extremely negative effects on my life. I was not the only employee to be harassed by this woman, but each of us were targeted individually. The damage can never be repaired. It has not made me stronger – it has chipped away at my spirit. I know I will never be the same cheery, high spirited woman I was.
I am currently an RCMP member at a rural detachment and have gone through what I feel are racial discrimination and workplace bullying issues. I am currently going through the Cdn. Human Rights Commission to have these issues dealt with but haven’t heard back yet if the Commissioner of the RCMP will participate in the first stage, mediation. Perhaps it is time to have a real union since the division staff representative program isn’t effective and didn’t work for me.
Congratulations Nancy on your settlement! Atleast you get something for your loss I hope you will find a career in something that is similar rewarding or maybe you will have to invent the position.
Hang in there Rachel!seek spiritual help it will always get you though.
I am in a similar situation I left my employment two years ago after I put in a complaint to HR about how I’ve been treated they did nothing about it.
But six months previous they called the RCMP on me but they will not tell me why and the police won’t tell me why it is like the RCMP are trying to force ne out of town.
I have tried the privacy commisioner, a lawyer sent my money back, while I was talking to some one at the commission for complaints againest the RCMP. That person all of a sudden said they had to get off the phone. That person called me back and started asking me direct questions about situations that happened over the last two years!
there are many more examples I am wondering any one reading this can tell me what to do next I can’t find employment and If I did something wrong why won’t the RCMP tell me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thank You
John, Help can be found by contacting WBI 360-656-6630.
It is very unfortunate this type of behaviour was tolerated too often in the RCMP and good the lady rec’d a fair settlement. We all know or have heard this happens too frequently, luckily this lady had the strengh to follow thru with her suit.
My question is what has happened to the abusive superior? I am guessing nothing which is so typical of the working within the RCMP.
The superior officer cost taxpayers a million dollars and gets off scot free? Something is very wrong with the modern RCMP.
NOTHING happened to him. He sits on full pension still believing he did nothing wrong. To add insult to injury his lawyers fees were paid by the RCMP…something the other party did NOT have the luxury of…
I’m wondering what measures the RCMP takes to prevent workplace bullying and discrimination (racial, other) in the workplace. Are there well established policies and programs to address this issue? Are RCMP officers aware of the health and career consequences of workplace bullying?
HERE’S SOME INTERESETING BOOKS FOR YOUR STUDENTS, YOURSELF OR YOUR COLLEGE- UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Canada’s Police Force: Lies, fabrication, perjury … and much worse?
“Before his death he was able to tell a nurse at the hospital that an RCMP officer jumped up and down on him”
New Law Releases
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:iXvTSqzQeiIJ:www.newandupcoming.com/new-book-releases/law/page/1+%22Canada%E2%80%99s+Police+Force:+Lies,+fabrication,+perjury+%E2%80%A6+and+much+worse%3F%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&source=www.google.ca
I would love to speak out publicly, but I can’t. Corruption is alive and well in the RCMP. I offer well wishes to those who have been victimized by RCMP management.