An RCMP officer in British Columbia, Sgt. William Turner, who faced the choice of resigning or being terminated from the force in 2018, has recently lost an appeal regarding misconduct involving a coercive sexual relationship with a jail guard.
Sgt. Turner, overseeing a jail cellblock in Surrey, B.C., initiated a sexual relationship with a woman employed by the city at the local RCMP detachment back in 2014. Their interactions extended to engaging in sexual activities while on duty, with the woman alleging a non-consensual sexual encounter in a detachment stairwell in October of the same year. Subsequently, Turner was arrested but never faced charges.
After a misconduct finding in 2018, Turner contested the decision through various levels of appeal within the RCMP and the courts. However, a three-judge appellate panel recently upheld the original ruling, indicating that the disciplinary measures for discreditable conduct were valid.
The conduct adjudicator’s report highlighted Turner’s pattern of poor decision-making involving female colleagues and his abuse of authority to solicit sexual favors from a subordinate.