Mayor Ken Sim has requested B.C.’s police complaint commissioner release an investigation report into allegations that he was impaired by alcohol while driving in January 2023 and that the incident was “covered up” by the Vancouver Police Department.
Sim said Tuesday that the allegations are “baseless” and he has no idea how the rumour started or what led to a police investigation. Releasing the report, he said, would likely answer those questions.
“Any allegation that I was driving under the influence is an outright lie,” Sim said Tuesday. “All this stuff was fabricated. That incident never happened.”
On Monday, Sim used the X social media platform to publicly call on B.C. Police Complaint Commissioner Prabhu Rajan to release the investigation report of the allegations.
“The public deserves to know the full truth,” he wrote.
RCMP, Abbotsford Police Department
Sim attached a letter to his post that was addressed to Rajan. In the letter, the mayor said he understood from media reports that an investigation had been completed by the RCMP and reviewed by the Abbotsford Police Department.
The mayor told BIV that he has never been interviewed by police over the allegations. He also said he didn’t know why the allegations relate specifically to January 2023. But, he added, he’s been aware of the rumours for some time.
Asked why he didn’t hold a news conference to deny the allegations when he first heard rumours more than a year ago, Sim said it wasn’t warranted when considering the number of allegations made over various things against him and his party.
“If we were to hold press conferences for every sort of egregious accusation against us from political foes or people who just don't like us, or whatever, we would spend all of our time doing this,” the mayor said.
'Maintain confidentiality'
BIV left phone and email messages with Rajan’s office Tuesday but had not received a response before deadline on whether he planned to release the investigation report. Emailed messages were also sent to the Vancouver Police Board and board chair Frank Chong for comment, but no response was provided before deadline.
Sgt. Steve Addison, a VPD media relations officer, said in an email: “We are required to maintain confidentiality on all Police Act investigations, including findings reached by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner. Therefore, we are unable to provide information or clarification on this matter.”
Sim said he sent his letter to Rajan Monday.
“Maybe [the report] says positive or negative things about me, or doesn't talk about me at all — I don't know,” the mayor said. “I'm willing to take that risk. Why are they not releasing it? I'm just blown away as to why this thing is not being released.”
Integrity of Office of Mayor, Vancouver Police Department
He said release of the report is not only needed to support his comments that the allegations are baseless, but to protect the integrity of the office of the mayor and the police department.
“Evidently people can make baseless allegations and throw myself, the Office of the Mayor and the VPD under the bus,” he continued. “So that's why we want to daylight this report.”
Sim, who committed to hiring 100 police officers in his campaign, was elected as mayor in October 2022. His ABC Vancouver party was endorsed by the Vancouver Police Union during the campaign.
Ralph Kaisers, who has taken a leave of absence as president of the union, that he is seeking one of the vacant council seats in the April 5 byelection. If Kaisers wins, he will join Coun. Brian Montague — a retired VPD officer — at city hall.
Sim is the chair of the police board’s search committee, which was created recently to find Vancouver’s next police chief; that he will retire at the end of April.
X/@Howelling
