Psychologist Mike Webster says RCMP old-boys network explains why Don Ray is still a Mountie

by Carlito Pablo on June 4th, 2012 at 11:19 AM

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Mountie Don Ray exposed his penis to a female subordinate, had sex with another at the polygraph room during lunch breaks and after-office hours, engaged in intercourse with a third one at a public parking lot, and harassed a fourth employee by calling her a "hottie".

The disgraced cop admitted to all of these and more. He also provided and consumed alcohol at the office.

He could have been dismissed from the service, according to police psychologist Mike Webster.

Instead, Ray got a reprimand, demoted from the rank of staff sergeant to sergeant, docked 10 days pay, and got transferred from Alberta to B.C.

“The reason Mr. Ray still has his job is because it’s an old-boys network,” Webster told the Straight in a phone interview on June 1.

That was also the day when the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision that quashed efforts by RCMP officers to form a union.

The appeal court reversed a 2009 decision by the Ontario Superior Court that stated that it was unconstitutional to block members of the national police force to form a labour association.

Commenting on the latest decision, Webster said that the creation of a union “would have been one of the cornerstones in the transformation of the RCMP”.

“RCMP senior management and executives have been accountable to no one since their inception,” Webster said. “Consequently they have created a toxic workplace, high levels of employee stress, and a culture of fear.”

In the case of Ray, Webster said that his career was saved by his superiors and colleagues, who wrote letters of support for him.

He said that it’s all explained in the January 31, 2012 decision rendered on Ray’s case by an adjudication board composed of three senior RCMP officers.

“It was very revealing why Mr. Ray did not lose his job,” said Webster, who provided the Straight a copy of the board’s ruling.

Webster contrasted the handling of the Ray case to that of another RCMP officer who had engaged in many sex escapades.

Now ex-constable Trent Richards was ordered to resign in 2008. While on duty in Shawnigan Lake, B.C., he engaged in sex with different women on at least 15 occasions. He also posed in police uniform in online dating sites.

Richards appealed the decision, but left the force in 2011.

This shows that although the disciplinary process may be slow, it can work if the RCMP demonstrates leadership, according to Webster.

“Leadership is all about heart,” Webster said. “It’s all about a deep sense of justice.”

Comments

10 Comments

Mark H

Jun 4, 2012 at 1:54pm

Perhaps a caveat in your story should be that Webster was fired by the RCMP...he might be a tad biased

Scout

Jun 4, 2012 at 3:16pm

Mark H: Dr. Webster was NOT fired by the RCMP. When he spoke out about the Dziekanski incident at YVR the RCMP threatened him to change his opinion or lose his contracts. He did not change his opinion and they made good on their threat. If he were interested in continuing to work for the RCMP he could have changed his opinion. This man has integrity and continues to voice his opinions on the dysfunction of the RCMP. He supports the members while being critical of management. Your comment is a sloppy attempt to discredit Dr. Webster. I think the public knows by now that he says exactly what he believes and has the credentials and experience and the knowledge to back up his comments. Do you?

Stew

Jun 4, 2012 at 4:00pm

Or the caveat may be that he is ethical & more than a tad honest. Comm. Paulson has had 5-10 years in Ottawa senior managent, but has suddenly now found a desire to address bad apples. I smell conservative puppetry.

Gertrude

Jun 4, 2012 at 4:30pm

I think it's a fallacy that having a union would help deter harassment. I found this out myself when I filed a complaint of harassment against a male CAW co-worker. The union members rallied around their harassing employee and started hounding me. It's still a boy's club whether it's unionized or not. I was forced to go on leave with post traumatic stress then quit, because of unionized workers reaction to my complaint.

My 2 Cents

Jun 4, 2012 at 4:50pm

The RCMP isn't just a toxic workplace, it is a psychopathic culture and organization. Bullies, incompetents and amoral people who willingly turn a blind eye to unethical conduct move up the ranks.

The rank and file officers, who maintain their integrity and ethics as they serve the public with honour, are then subject to the egregious behaviour of those who aren't fit to wear the uniform. How many RCMP personnel are currently on medical leave with mental health disorders, addictions etc. What is the turnover rate? How many civil law suits have been filed for harassment & bullying?

RCMP members, like any other workers, deserve the right to unionize to have a fighting chance against a morally bankrupt employer that does not have it's workers best interests at heart.

derp

Jun 4, 2012 at 7:19pm

"Gertrude" is completely lying. I've worked in a few union environments, this is unheard of.

If it was at all true 'Gertrude' could've sought all sorts of legal action the union provides to it's members. Lies lies, and more lies.

JUDITH HARROWER

Jun 5, 2012 at 5:57am

Comments posted indicate that really incompetent officers get promoted, pushed up the laddler and often end up in Ottawa, backroom desk job but leave with higer pensions and benefits. This practice is not limited to the RCMP but a routine practice in a majority of federal departments.
The current culture in the RCMP has festered for years, lack of solid leadership, no accountability just remember the second last Commissioner involved in the pension fraud - rotten right to the top, and Elliott pushed out as he probably fought against the old boys.
The RCMP at this time have prpared us for an onslaught of more "bad apples" cases, well Commissioner Paulson advice is to be pro-active and get them out there, dirty laundry aired. Don't spread it out over months but get it over and done with and then get on with implementing the RCMP Mission Statement, Vision Statement, RCMP Committment to the Communities and also to your Employees but the one with the greatest impact on change is your (RCMP) Core Values.
These guiding principles have been ignored, avoided for years - put these into daily routine for every RCMP employee, all 30,000, not the lower rank and file! Don't forget yourself - costs nothing and having worked for a federal department akin to the RCMP it WORKS!
Don't become a puppet for Harper/towes preserve the integrity of the RCMP as an independant federal body that is open to change and growth - otherwise a Kingston artist may paint your portrait.

Bobby "B"

Jun 5, 2012 at 1:16pm

Having served 30+ years in the force I fully agree with Mr. Webster's opinion that Don Ray could and should have been fired but the "Good Ol' Boys Club" reared its ugly head and came through for him. Rather than taking these members to task, the Commissioner attempted to bail out by placing blame on the RCMP Act which leads me to believe he could be one of the biggest toads in the puddle. What's it going to take for these guys to learn??? Common sense overruled by arrogance

Makes Sense

Jun 7, 2012 at 9:49am

I completely agree with Scout. Dr Webeter has not changed his story one bit over the years. I've received his professional services for harassment related issues in the late 90s and at that time he was saying exactly the same thing. Over the years he has counseled so many RCMP employees for the same issues that it was not too difficult for him to see a pattern here. The current psychologists used by the RCMP (like Randy Mackoff) would probably come to the same conclusions Dr Mike Webster did. His description of the "root cause" of the issues plaguing the RCMP is accurate from my perspective.