'Career in policing is over,' former Sudbury police chief says

Frank Elsner, the former chief of the Greater Sudbury Police, is quoted as saying in court documents that his “career in policing is over” as a result of a scandal that has engulfed him in Victoria, B.C.

Elsner, who left Sudbury at the end of 2013 to lead the Victoria force, has been in hot water since December 2015 when it emerged he exchanged what has been described as inappropriate Twitter messages with the wife of one of his officers.

While an internal review disciplined him for the messages, another investigation by B.C.'s police complaint commissioner Stan Lowe was announced after the matter became public. Elsner stepped aside as a result until the probe was complete.

According to a story in the Globe and Mail on Wednesday, Elsner filed court documents this month trying to shut down that review.

According to the Globe story, Elsner asserted in the court documents that Lowe doesn't have the authority to order another review of his conduct.

“I never imagined that the police complaint commissioner could commence another investigation when I had already accepted discipline for my conduct,” the Globe story quotes Elsner as saying in an affidavit dated March 14. “I strongly believe my reputation has been irreparably tarnished and my career in policing is over, regardless of the outcome of the investigation.”

He said he co-operated with the first investigation with the understanding that it would remain confidential.

Elsner was also accused of contacting two witnesses connected to the first investigation, but that was dismissed as irrelevant when the review was completed.

In the court documents, the Globe says Elsner believed the first investigation “was fundamentally flawed” but agreed to accept it to “show leadership (and) take responsibility for my conduct” and so that he could get back to work.

When the reports of the investigation first became public, the union representing front-line officers called for

Elsner to be removed from the post. He has been on leave since Dec. 22.

Elsner has not been available for comment since the scandal became public. He apologized on Dec. 6, 2015 for sending the Twitter messages to officer's wife.

A story in the Victoria Times-Colonist in December said in addition to the second probe connected to the messages, Elsner was facing another investigation connected to workplace harassment allegations made by four members of the Victoria Police Department.