BLACKMAIL PLUS SUICIDE EQUALS LAWSUIT

By Bob Walsh

               

         Vancouver Police Constable Nicole Chan died by suicide in January 2019 

 

Nicole Chan used to be a cop in Vancouver, B.C.  She killed herself.  A lawsuit has been filed in her death by her sister and her mother, alleging she was coerced into engaging in a sexual relationship with her immediate superior, Sgt. David Van Patten.

Officer Chan engaged in a consensual relationship with another supervisor, Sgt. Greg McCullough, even though both were married at the time, starting back in 2015.  Neither disclosed the relationship to the department despite policy requiring them to do so.  

Van Patten is alleged to have threatened to exposure this relationship to both Chan's husband and McCullough's wife, as well as to the department.   At the time Van Patten worked in H.R. for the department.  

Chan filed a complaint with HR.  An investigation found four likely valid counts of "discreditable misconduct" against him.  

On January 17, 2019, three weeks after having provided an impact statement as part of the investigation, Officer Chan killed herself.

Both Van Patten and McCulough have since left the department under less than ideal conditions.  

The lawsuit names the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Police Board, the Vancouver Police Department, the Chief Constable, the Police Union, The Attorney General, the Solicitor General and several individuals.