An RCMP officer who helped investigate serial killer Robert Pickton has been relegated to administrative duties as the Mounties probe sexually explicit photos of him posted on a bondage website.
Randy Beck, B.C.鈥檚 Assistant RCMP Commissioner, said he has asked the Richmond RCMP to launch a code-of-conduct investigation into Cpl. Jim Brown of the Coquitlam, B.C. RCMP detachment.
He also said he will ask an external police agency to review the probe.
In an emailed statement to CTV B.C., Beck said he is 鈥減ersonally embarrassed and very disappointed that the RCMP would be in any way linked to the photos.鈥�
Beck said Brown鈥檚 supervisors first became aware of the photos in late 2010, but believed they were only stored on the officer鈥檚 personal flash drive. Brown was cleared.
But when the RCMP learned earlier this year that the same photos surfaced online, another investigation was launched.
Brown had a small role in investigating Robert Pickton, who was convicted of killing six women on his pig farm in Port Coquitlam.
Cameron Ward, who represents the families of more than two dozen missing and murdered B.C. women, said that in light of the sexually graphic photos involving Brown, the recently wrapped public inquiry into the Pickton case should be reopened.
鈥淐ounsel is concerned about this issue and is seeking some clarification and responses from RCMP lawyers as to the nature of the investigation into Cpl. Brown鈥檚 conduct,鈥� Ward told CTV B.C., adding that lawyers for the missing and murdered women鈥檚 families would like to interview the officer.
But missing women inquiry commissioner Wally Oppal said there's no evidence to support re-opening the Pickton hearings.
With a report from CTV B.C.鈥檚 Lisa Rossington and files from The Canadian Press
