Former Victoria police chief Frank Elsner has been granted an adjournment of discipline proceedings by the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner, to allow him time to seek new legal counsel.
Discipline authority and retired judge Carol Baird Ellan was scheduled to begin overseeing proceedings yesterday (Sept. 25) against Elsner on three separate allegations of discreditable conduct, one of inappropriate use of department equipment and/or facilities and one of deceit, all under the Police Act. That hearing was postponed until Oct. 16.
Similarly, a second proceeding presided over by retired judge Ian Pitfield that was due to start Oct. 2 has been adjourned until Oct. 30. That deals with three separate allegations of discreditable conduct that arose from union complaints about Elsner’s conduct.
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Elsner’s lawyer was recently appointed to the B.C. Supreme Court bench and Baird Ellan and Pitfield granted his request for a temporary adjournment in order to find new counsel.
Elsner resigned in May from the Victoria Police Department. However, the Police Act allows disciplinary action to be taken against officers who resign, as a way to force them to face allegations against them. While proceedings undertaken by the OPCC are not criminal in nature, current or former officers in B.C. who are found to have committed allegations have the decision placed on their service record, which would be accessible by other police departments.
Earlier this year Elsner started his own company providing consulting services for the cannabis industry.
