No ‘institutional neglect’ found in VicPD’s failed drug case, Project Juliet

It's been determined VicPD's general management, operations, and policies are not to blame for the implosion of a major drug prosecution. (CTV News)

An independent investigation has found no evidence the collapse of a major drug prosecution was the result of systemic failures within the Victoria Police Department (VicPD).

The review examined whether the department’s general management, operations, and policies contributed to the demise of Project Juliet, a 2020 investigation that resulted in the arrest of three men who VicPD said were at the top of B.C.’s fentanyl trafficking pyramid.

The prosecution fell apart due to the involvement of an officer who was being investigated by the RCMP for corruption. He was never criminally charged, but was suspended after his arrest.

A B.C. Supreme Court decision that details the case’s collapse claims the officers who worked on Project Juliet misled the court by failing to disclose the disgraced constable’s involvement in the initial investigation.

As a Police Act probe into misconduct allegations against at least one of the investigators unfolds, a review by the Delta Police Department (DPD) has determined there were no institutional issues at play.

“The issues that emerged in this case appear rooted in the rare and complex dynamics of a corruption-sensitive file, rather than in any institutional neglect or policy failure,” DPD Acting Staff Sgt. Richard Stabler wrote in a report to VicPD’s board, dated Jan. 9.

During a public meeting on Tuesday, the police board reviewed the report.

Recommendation for training

VicPD’s board referred the investigation to DPD in response to a complaint filed by former board member Paul Schachter in February of 2024.

“The police board was supposed to keep me informed about the progress of the complaint,” Schachter said in an interview with CTV News on Wednesday.

“Despite having the Delta report on Project Juliet since January — that’s over three months — I was given this report this past Saturday.”

Schachter’s complaint targeted perceived policy and procedural failures related to disclosure to Crown counsel, rather than possible misconduct by individual officers.

Stabler’s review involved the examination of relevant investigative files and department policies, along with interviews with officers and Crown prosecutors.

“The evidence does not support a finding that VicPD’s leadership or operational management deliberately obscured facts, misled judicial officers, or failed in a manner that constitutes systemic or willful misconduct,” Stabler wrote.

“The issue was one of flawed strategy, communication gaps, and insufficient legal consultation, rather than a failure in ethical governance or professional integrity.”

He recommended the department collaborate with Crown counsel on implementing supplementary training modules related to disclosure. The board passed a motion accepting the recommendation on Tuesday.

Schachter said he believes the review’s findings are “very clearly wrong” because they contradict the assertion within the judicial decision that investigators misled the courts.

“How can you balance what the Delta police force found with what the court decision found?” Schachter said.

He’s considering requesting a review by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC).

In February of 2024, the OPCC confirmed an investigation into the individual actions of at least one of the Project Juliet investigators. On Wednesday, the OPCC declined to provide a status update, citing confidentiality rules under the Police Act.

Additional concerns reviewed

Schachter’s complaint also targeted a business relationship between the disgraced constable and a now-retired VicPD sergeant.

An independent review by the Surrey Police Service concluded in June of 2024, determining VicPD’s secondary-employment policy adequately addresses conflicts of interest and member and organizational liability.

VicPD board chair Micayla Hayes said the results of the reviews by the Surrey and Delta police departments are being shared with the OPCC.