Delta’s police chief is speaking out following an accusation that his wife assaulted another woman by spraying her with a garden hose outside the couple’s Centennial Beach home.
On Monday (June 29), Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord said in a statement that handing the matter over to an independent police department is important to ensure the community’s confidence in the investigation, stressing he has recused himself from any involvement in the investigation.
“I want to say unreservedly that the matter at hand in no way reflects the values and commitment to the community of the officers of the Delta Police Department, nor my own values,” the statement reads. “Out of respect for our office, I also feel that it is important to note that the complaint does not involve a member of the Delta Police Department.”
Richmond school teacher Kiran Sidhu alleges that on Tuesday, June 7, Lorraine Dubord sprayed her after Sidhu climbed onto some rocks in front of the Dubord’s Centennial Beach home to avoid the rising tide as she made her way back to her car.
Sidhu filed a complaint with the Delta Police Department, which has since been forwarded to the Surrey RCMP for review.
Late last week, in a statement provided to the Delta Optimist, Lorraine Dubord apologized for the way the situation was handled, saying everyone in the community should feel welcome and supported.
“I trust that all the facts and the complete story surrounding this regrettable incident will be gathered in due course through the ongoing and independent RCMP investigation,” she said.
On Monday, DPD Deputy Chief Norm Lipinski said in a statement the department takes any and all complaints from the community very seriously.
Lipinski said the department elevated the investigation to a supervisor as an additional measure of oversight and assigned a senior manager to ensure that all proper procedures were followed.
“This level of oversight is not standard practice, but I felt it was required given the nature of the matter.”
Lipinski said the outcome of the investigation was shared with Sidhu, who indicated that she was not satisfied with its conclusions, leading the department to refer the file to the RCMP for review.
Meanwhile, the Delta Police Board confirmed they are aware of the public’s concerns regarding the investigation and pledged to review its internal policies and practices.
“Confidence and trust in community policing is critical and we wish to restate our earlier commitment to create a safe, just and inclusive community for all residents and visitors in Delta,” a statement reads. “We absolutely and unequivocally condemn racism and fully recognize that together we all need to do more to combat racism, hatred and discrimination in our community.”
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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