His conduct was a deliberate and calculating effort to engage in a covert and sexually explicit relationship with a woman.
Those are the findings of a Police Act investigation into the conduct of former Delta police Insp. Varun Naidu.
Earlier this summer, following a lengthy investigation by Saanich police, Chief Scott Green determined that Naidu engaged in inappropriate sexual communications with a woman interested in employment as a police officer.
According to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, which on Tuesday released the investigation report and confirmed the same findings in its own investigation, Naidu had contacted the woman through social media, initially communicating about potential employment as a police officer, but later engaged in communications of a sexual nature, both via text and in person.
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner said Naidu also provided false or misleading evidence when investigators asked about the communications.
The investigation determined that Naidu had committed misconduct and imposed a penalty of dismissal.
Naidu retired prior to the discipline hearing and did not attend, but the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner says his employment records will reflect that he was dismissed from the DPD.
“Former Inspector Naidu was in a position of trust and authority by virtue of being a male, a police officer, a senior officer and someone who could have significant influence on the woman’s career aspirations,” said Green.
With respect to providing false or misleading evidence to an investigator, the investigation found that such conduct undermines the reputation of the department and the profession, and has a significant adverse impact on public confidence in police.
“The discipline authority in this matter has sent a clear message that conduct which exploits a relationship of trust or where there is a power imbalance will attract the most serious of consequences,” said deputy Police Complaint Commissioner Andrea Spindler. “In these cases the public must be assured that senior ranking police officers will conduct themselves with integrity in all matters.”
In a prepared statement, DPD said Chief Neil Dubord immediately notified the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner when the department received the initial complaint.
In September 2018, DPD was advised that evidence gathered to that date had revealed substance to the complaint. Naidu was then suspended with pay while the Police Act investigation continued.
Naidu had been in charge of emergency planning with the DPD.
He never returned to work after his suspension last September, retiring in May of this year.
“I’d like to thank Saanich police for their thorough investigation into this matter,” said Dubord. “The Delta Police Department supports the findings of their investigation and the decision of the discipline authority. The Delta Police Department’s values – honour, integrity, courage and trust – aren’t just words on the wall of our headquarters’ building.
“Those values are something I, and other members of the DPD, try to live every day. When those values are ignored or discounted, it hurts not only us, but our community.”
Dubord said the investigation revealed Naidu’s actions fell below the standard expected of the department’s employees.
“I want to be clear – this type of behaviour is not tolerated within our organization,” he said. “I’m very disappointed that a Delta police officer treated a member of the public in such an inappropriate and disrespectful fashion.”
