A sentencing hearing for three police officers who shared vulgar messages and a nude photo of a citizen via BlackBerry Messenger began Monday.
Jeff Vongkhamphou, Timothy Green and Graeme Kobayashi, all constables with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, have been suspended with pay since the allegations came to light.
In 2010, they were three of seven officers in a BBM group.
Following calls, they would use vulgar language to describe the people they were assisting.
In one case, a picture of a woman with a mental illness, with an unflattering comment attached, was shared with the group.
All three have pleaded guilty to Police Services Act charges in connection with the case.
Sgt. Bruce Tucker, a former president of the Waterloo Regional Police Association, says police have to work to gain back the trust of the public following incidents like this one.
“They know they’ve disappointed themselves, they’ve disappointed their families, they’ve disappointed the service … but most importantly they’ve disappointed the people that pay our wages and that we’re out there to help,” he tells CTV News.
In another case, Vongkhamphou was convicted criminally and under the Police Services Act in connection with an incident in which he took items out of a locker belonging to another officer who was under investigation.
That officer was Const. Cristopher Knox, who was described at Monday’s hearing as the leader of the group.
“The BBM group started out as a medium for socialization that went to take on a different flavour,” forensic psychiatrist Dr. Julian Gojer said.
“They allowed another person to dictate their behaviour.”
Later this week, lawyers will make submissions on what they consider to be appropriate penalties for Green, Kobayashi and Vongkhamphou.
Police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel says cases like this one aren’t exclusive to Waterloo Regional Police and are being seen more often across the province.
