Alberta Mountie disciplined for telling colleague she was 'trash' for reporting a sexual assault
CBC
An Alberta RCMP constable has admitted to harassment and discreditable conduct for telling a fellow officer she was a "money-chasing piece of trash" for filing a formal sexual assault complaint against another Mountie.
Const. Robert Jonathon Sinnott of the Strathcona County detachment has been sanctioned under the RCMP code of conduct for sending a series of disparaging text messages to his female colleague.
He sent her the messages two days before she testified about a sexual assault she had allegedly suffered at the hands of another RCMP member.
In a decision Wednesday, RCMP conduct board member Kevin Harrison, who presided over the hearing, imposed a series of penalties on Sinnott, who admitted to the misconduct.
Sinnott has been docked 25 days' pay and will be ineligible for promotion for two years. He must complete anti-harassment training and submit a formal letter of apology.
The female constable, who has since retired, had made a formal complaint alleging sexual assault in March 2019. The complaint led to an internal RCMP probe and an investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), Alberta's police watchdog.
Sinnott wrote to the female constable in November 2022, two days before she was scheduled to testify at a code of conduct hearing for another RCMP member who also served at the Strathcona County detachment, east of Edmonton.
In the unsolicited texts, Sinnott disparaged the woman, describing her as a member who wanted "to kamikaze everyone" and "cry wolf" on other officers.
"Godspeed and good luck this week. Whatever happens, just know that the majority of people know that you're trash," Sinnott wrote.
"Everyone sees you for what you are."
The conduct board found that Sinnott's messages interfered with the review process by insinuating the female constable was lying and causing her to fear for her safety. CBC is not naming the woman due to the nature of her allegations.
Sinnott told the woman that her colleagues believed she was "full of shit" and said she should be ashamed of making an accusation against a superior officer.
"Take note of the fact that most everyone thinks you're a money-chasing piece of trash," Sinnott wrote.
Sinnott had been suspended with pay from the RCMP since December 2022.
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This First Person article is the experience of Kristine Thoreson, who lives in Calgary. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.