Veteran RCMP officer faces conduct hearing for how he handled relationship under his command

It wasn't supposed to come to this when Insp. Sukhjit Manj got his long-cherished wish to become an RCMP officer.

The 23-year veteran has been suspended with pay since 2017, over allegations that he didn't carry out his duties appropriately when he ran the RCMP detachment in Lloydminster, on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

Today, an internal code-of-conduct hearing began in Richmond, B.C.

Initially Manj faced 14 allegations relating to the two years he spent in Lloydminster, from 2014 to 2016. Now there are only four after the rest were gradually dropped.

The core conflict and three of the allegations relates to his handling of concerns about a romantic relationship between two employees under his command in Lloydminster, part of K division (Alberta).

Manj found the relationship inappropriate and unbecoming but his superiors thought it wasn't his business.

The final allegation pertains to the internal investigation that happened once he was transferred back to B.C. E Division, where he had spent the rest of his career.

'If they want to cheat ... it's their problem'

The relationship in question was an affair between two married employees an RCMP dog handler and a civilian employee.

The civilian employee complained to Manj's supervisors about his questioning of her, saying he was "digging into her personal life."

At the hearing, Manj's lawyer, Steven Rogers, pointed out the woman was lying when she complained to the bosses because she was already in a sexual relationship with the dog handler though she said she wasn't.

One of Manj's superiors, Chief Superintendent Shahin Mehdizadeh who is in charge of Central Alberta, testified that he checked in with Manj because there were concerns about his stress over the problems.

He said the brass did not think the relationship was a problem saying "if they want to cheat on their partners it's their problem."

Manj is an operationally-sound member he said, but needed "soft skills" to manage people.

Manj 'did an excellent job'

On the stand today, Manj's former boss Chief Supt. Wendell Reimer was questioned by Manj's lawyer about his recollections about several conversations he had with Manj.

Reimer oversees 26 detachments, including Lloydminster, over a quarter of Alberta including 500 RCMP officers and 200 civilian employees.

Reimer has notes of several conversations he had with Manj who was described as stressed over the relationship in the office.

Reimer said he did "an excellent job in the community" and ran a good detachment and as far as the community served he "knocked it out of the park".

The inspector was described by those who know him as an upstanding and excellent police officer.

Hearing lasts 5 days

The RCMP has an interpersonal relations policy to avoid potential conflicts of interest, exploitation of officers in reporting lines and misuse of RCMP property and equipment.

The allegations against Manj are that he failed to carry out lawful orders and directions, did not act with fairness and impartiality, and failed to be diligent in the performance of his duties including taking appropriate action to aid any person exposed to danger.

Finally, it is also alleged he didn't provide a complete and accurate account of what happened.

The hearing is set to go over five days before Gerry Annetts, a former RCMP officer who is now an internal adjudicator based in Ottawa.