Were West Vancouver police officers drinking confiscated liquor in the cop shop?

According to the B.C. Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, the question will form part of the ongoing external investigation that the independent Victoria agency has ordered the Vancouver police department to undertake.

On November 26, WVPD Const. Lisa Alford blew three times the legal limit after driving her car following drinks at WVPD headquarters. WVPD police Chief Scott Armstrong later admitted to media that drinking on-site was commonplace. He has not had his contract renewed.

“That issue [confiscated liquor being consumed] certainly has come up since the investigation was initiated,” Bruce Brown, senior investigative analyst at OPCC, told the Straight. “We’ve received other requests for that type of answer.…If, in fact, they were drinking confiscated liquor, then that’s something that will need to be addressed.”

Vancouver Insp. Rollie Woods is carrying out the investigation, with Victoria Chief Const. Paul Battershill as external discipline authority.

“We have to be satisfied that everything has been done thoroughly and that any decisions that are made have to be presented to our office,” Brown said. “We come back [with findings] when the investigations have been completed.”