Dismissal hearing for Kelowna RCMP officer delayed again

Photo: Contributed

Chad Vance

The RCMP dismissal hearing for a Kelowna officer acquitted of a sexual assault charge earlier this year has been delayed yet again.

Vance is facing seven allegations of behaving in a manner that is “likely to discredit the force,” although the details of the allegations are not known.

The RCMP holds conduct review hearings when an officer is facing termination from the force. These internal review hearings are separate from any criminal proceedings. Vance's hearing was initially scheduled for last fall, but it was delayed to April 19. On Friday, the hearing was once again delayed, due to “procedural issues,” and it has now been rescheduled to run from July 12 to 14.

The hearing will run similar to a criminal trial, with testimony from several witnesses.

Chad Vance was charged with sexual assault in June 2019, in connection to a summer of 2015 incident, where a woman accused him of raping her while she lay suntanning on his back deck. That trial was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it finally took place in February.

After two days of trial, which included testimony from the alleged victim and from Vance, Crown prosecutor Tim McKelvey invited Judge Roy Dickey to acquit Vance, citing issues with the credibility and reliability of the alleged victim.

Judge Dickey agreed the Crown failed to show proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and acquitted Vance.

Vance was also previously charged in 2019 with assaulting a woman in 2018, but that charge was stayed by the Crown before it ever got to trial.

He remains suspended from the RCMP as he awaits his upcoming conduct hearing. While he was originally receiving his salary while under suspension, he was taken off the payroll last summer. It's unclear what led to the change.

RCMP conduct hearings are generally open to the public, and Castanet will provide coverage of the hearing when it finally occurs.