RCMP COY ABOUT SULLIVAN 'ASSESSMENT'

When is a police investigation not a police investigation? When it
comes to the politically sensitive RCMP probe of Mayor Sam Sullivan.

Vancouver Police Chief Jamie Graham last week requested the RCMP
review Sullivan's admission to supplying addicts with money to buy
drugs. The request came after Sullivan was elected mayor, a position
that includes him becoming chair of the Vancouver Police Board.

RCMP media liaison officer Sgt. John Ward said the force's drug squad
continues to lead a probe which could include interviews with
Sullivan and the addicts in question.

Ward was vague about details, saying it was "more like an assessment"
than an investigation. He added he had "no idea" how long the
assessment would take.

"We don't ever put time frames on our investigations and/or our
reviews-if you want to call it that-or our assessment, it's something
that takes the time it takes," Ward said. "We have a set of facts
that we were given and we need to look at those to see if it warrants
a full blown investigation."

If investigators discovered something that needed further
investigation or a detailed criminal probe, evidence would be
gathered and findings would be forwarded to Crown counsel to consider
charges, Ward said.

Because Sullivan's actions occurred more than three years ago, the
Courier asked Ward if there is a time limit on which charges could be
forwarded to the Crown in such a case.

"We can't say, 'No there is no limit' or 'yes there is a limit,'
because we don't know what we're talking [about] that's limited."

Sgt. Anne Drennan, a public relations officer for the Vancouver
police, echoed Ward's comments that the RCMP was not conducting a
criminal investigation of Sullivan.

"The situation with respect to the RCMP is a review, not an
investigation, so it's more than appropriate that Mr. Sullivan assume
the role of the chair of the police board at this time," Drennan said
in a voice message to the Courier Friday."

"The chief and Mr. Sullivan spoke to one another this morning.
They're colleagues from a long time ago and had a very friendly conversation."

Kevin Begg, director of police services for B.C., said there are no
provisions in the Police Act that require Sullivan to step aside as
chair or mayor while the RCMP investigates. Sullivan was sworn in to
office Monday and his first public police board meeting is Dec. 14.

"If he personally felt that he was in a conflict in a given
situation, he could make the choice to delegate the role of chair of
the board to a member of the board," Begg said. "There are provisions
in the Act that state if a chair for one reason or another needs to
delegate a deputy chair, they can do that. But there's no requirement
there in the Act [to step aside]."

Begg also pointed out Vancouver voters have elected mayors in the
past with diverse views on drug policy and policing. Former mayor
Philip Owen engineered the Four Pillars drug strategy and former
mayor Larry Campbell mused about both legalizing drugs and a red
light district for sex trade workers.

"We've had people on police boards who have maybe had different views
on different issues and they may state those views, but the board
operates as one," he said. "So once a decision of the majority of the
board is made, then that's the decision of the board."

In an Oct. 5 story in the Courier, Sullivan admitted he gave money to
three addicts to buy drugs to help them "manage" their addictions.
The recipients included a crack addict in his 30s living in the
Downtown Eastside, a young heroin-addicted prostitute working in
Collingwood and a friend of the Sullivan family.

Sullivan told the Courier last week he believed former mayor Campbell
initiated the police probe after he wrote a letter to B.C. Solicitor
General John Les during the municipal election campaign.

Campbell endorsed Jim Green of Vision Vancouver for mayor. Green lost
to Sullivan by 3,747 votes in what became a nasty campaign as it
wrapped up before the Nov. 19 vote.

In last week's interview, Sullivan said he didn't know if he would
have to step aside as chair of the board. He noted that he hadn't
been contacted by the RCMP.

As chair of the police board, Sullivan leads six other members, all
of whom were appointed by provincial and municipal governments. The
mayor is the only member of the board who is not required to undergo
a criminal record check.

Sullivan's decision to supply drug addicts with money occurred when
he was a city councillor. In one of the incidents, Sullivan allowed
an addict to smoke crack cocaine in his van.