The Vancouver Police Guild filed a grievance with the city last week, starting the process to protest the Feb. 10 firing of Cpl. Randy Braaksma.
The grievance asks Police Chief Cliff Cook to reconsider his decision to terminate Braaksma, who was fired after an investigation found that he mishandled evidence.
The grievance also allows the union to ask for state labor arbitration in the case, police guild President Ryan Martin said.
The police union has asked for copies of the department’s yearlong Internal Affairs’ investigation of Braaksma, which found a case where Braaksma brought methamphetamine and other evidence to his home and held it there for up to a year. The investigation also said he failed to properly submit evidence in other cases.
Until the union can review the investigation, Martin said members will not have an official stance on the termination.
“I can tell you that Randy is a 19-year career veteran,” he said when Braaksma’s termination was announced. “Not once in those 19 years has his integrity been questioned.”
The guild executive board will meet with Braaksma and an attorney before deciding whether to ask for arbitration.
A lawyer representing Braaksma has said his termination is direct retaliation for speaking up on behalf of former Officer Navin Sharma, who won a $1.65 million discrimination settlement from the city in September 2008.
Chief Cook has said he stands by his department’s investigation.
At least one officer has been reinstated recently following arbitration: Lt. Doug Luse was placed on paid leave for 8.5 months and was fired in March 2007 for allegedly lying and being insubordinate. The city was ordered to rehire him by an arbitrator.
