Delta police inspector fired for sexual misconduct, false information
Credit to Author: Stephanie Ip| Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2019 19:53:44 +0000
A Delta police inspector has been fired for becoming sexually involved with a woman curious about employment with the Delta police, and then later lying about it when he was investigated.
Varun Naidu, a former inspector with the force, was found to have reached out to the woman via social media after she had expressed interest in applying to work with Delta police. Their conversations started off about what it was like to work with the force before later turning sexual via text and then moving offline.
After the allegations were raised and an investigation launched, Naidu was also found to have provided false or misleading information when questioned about the communications.
Saanich Police Chief Scott Green, external discipline authority with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, was tasked with investigating and submitting a report. He found that Naidu made a “deliberate and calculating effort to establish safeguards that would enable him to engage in a covert and sexually explicit relationship with (the woman).”
The report also noted that 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.”
The complaint commissioner accepted Green’s findings and recommendation that Naidu be dismissed. As a result, a public hearing will not be held.
“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 Andrea Spindler, deputy police complaint commissioner. “In these cases the public must be assured that senior-ranking police officers will conduct themselves with integrity in all matters.”
While Naidu retired before the discipline hearing, his employment records with the Delta police will be changed to reflect his dismissal from the force.