Kelowna, B.C. Mountie who mishandled case brought back as reservist

The situation is raising questions about police accountability.

Last fall, the Kelowna, B.C., RCMP apologized to an Okanagan woman, admitting a local officer had initially failed to properly investigate her sexual assault complaint.

Now, police have admitted that the officer involved was re-hired as a reservist after the complaints against her were substantiated.

The situation is raising questions about police accountability.

Last October, police issued a final report into allegations that a Kelowna RCMP officer had mishandled a sexual assault complaint.

The investigation found Const. Lesley Smith had neglected her duty and shown an improper attitude in the way she handled a sexual assault report.

Smith had formally retired from the force weeks earlier, but police have now admitted she was sworn back in as a reservist on Oct. 22, the day after the report substantiating the allegations was issued.

“I find it to be an odd situation because it doesn’t really fit the definition of what is required, the minimum requirements to be a reserve officer which right on the RCMP website state they need to be of good character and have retired and resigned in good standing,” said retired RCMP officer Bruce Pitt-Payne.

Pitt-Payne questions the re-hiring given that Smith was found to have written something untrue in the RCMP case file.