Ottawa police defend their investigations of Nunavut RCMP

An inspector with the Ottawa Police Service sayshe's confident all the investigations his organization has done of RCMP conduct in Nunavutwere free from racial bias.

On Tuesday, Iqaluit-SinaaMLA Paul Okalikcalledfor theNunavutRCMP's arrangement withOttawa police as an outside investigating agency to be terminated. This was in reaction to Ottawa police officer Sgt. ChrisHrnchiarpostingracist comments from hisFacebook account after Inuk artistAnnie Pootoogook's body was discovered in the RideauRiver.

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Insp.Jamie Dunlop, whois in charge of majorcase investigations, saidHrnchiara senior forensic officerwho's been with the force for threedecadeswasn't involved in the investigation into Pootoogook'sdeathnor wasHrnchiarever sent toNunavutto investigate a case.

"These comments of one individual don't reflect the values of the organization," Dunlopsaid.

'It's aboutinvestigatingthe facts'

Since the agreement was signed in 2012, Ottawa police havedone 14 investigations in Nunavutandcharged twoRCMPcivilian guardson separate counts of sex assaultand letting a suspect escape.

"It's aboutinvestigatingthe facts as they come through," said Dunlop.

"So individuals whether they belong to a certain culture or race, whether they have mental incapacities, things of that nature, we look for the evidence to help steer us and we also consider where the person is coming from to the best of our abilities and if we need outside assistance in the communities to learn more about a particular culture we're not familiar with, we build those relationships."

Outside agency needed

Senator Vernon White spent 19 years in the North, including twoyears as the commanding officer for theRCMPinNunavut.White was also the chief of the Ottawa Police Service when the memorandum of understanding was signed between the two police forces, and the Government ofNunavut.

"To suggest for one minute that the comments of any officer or any employee represent the whole is unfair," said White, in Ottawa.

"So, as much as I respect the former premier, and I would have considered Paul a friendactually, I don't think Paul is correct in this case.I think you have to have an outsideagencydoing oversight when that is needed.Thebest case forNunavutwould be to have one here."

Hrnchiar is still working but he's on desk dutyand not participating in any active police investigation. Meanwhile the probe into his racist comments is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.

• Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook found dead in Ottawa