It's certainly not a knock against police officers - because as I've said many times before, there are a lot of great ones out there. It's more about democracy and making sure people are doing their jobs, especially given the fact they are in a position of power and their sole purpose is to protect the public.
Two Vancouver police officers have lost their attempt (thankfully) to block an external investigation into allegations they were neglectful when they decided to not warn a pregnant woman her life was in danger in the days before she was murdered.
Reportedly, Constable Craig Bentley and Staff Sgt. John Grywinski were working on an integrated gang task force in 2005 when Bentley received a tip that someone was plotting to kill 21-year-old Tasha Rosette. Bentley told Grywinski, his supervisor, but then the pair for whatever reason, decided not to warn Rosette, who unfortunately, was found stabbed to death in her apartment in Surrey, B.C., five days later.
Mistakes happen. Or maybe this wasn't a mistake. Maybe the officers thought they could handle the matter in some other way. At this point nobody really knows for certain. The incident was investigated by the RCMP and later dismissed by the Vancouver Police Department but now the province's police complaints commissioner has ordered an external force take a second look at the case. Necessary? I'm not sure. One would think the case wouldn't be reopened without at lease some justification, but regardless, if you are a police officer who has done nothing wrong then the whole deal should be no sweat right? Yet these two officers are fighting the external investigation every step of the way. It makes a person wonder why. Another good question being posed is - if officers Bentley and Grywinski don't want the truth to be known, then why are they still in the police service?
Truth and justice is the core of their livelihood, if they aren't subject to it, then what's the point of the whole system?
I believe in backing our officers and giving them the tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their abilities but everyone needs to be accountable for their actions in every walk of life. If these two have nothing to hide, they have nothing to worry about.
