VPD allowed disgraced ex-cop to obstruct misconduct probe 'on a daily basis,' suit alleges

A new lawsuit alleges the Vancouver Police Department collected "minimal evidence" in its investigation of disgraced former detective James Fisher, and allowed him to repeatedly obstruct the probe.

The notice of civil claim was filed last week in B.C. Supreme Court by Reza Moazami, a Vancouver man convicted of dozens of criminal charges for running an underage prostitution ring following an investigation led by Fisher.

Moazami's claim alleges that the VPD investigation into Fisher's sexual and professional misconduct fell short in a number of ways.

"VPD investigators gathered minimal evidence in investigating Fisher," Moazami alleges in the claim.

He claims that investigators "allowed Fisher to obstruct his own investigations, that Fisher did several times and on a daily basis" and that they failed to investigate whether Fisher had committed perjury during Moazami's trials.

The claim, filed Feb. 11, names Fisher, the City of Vancouver and the Province of British Columbia as defendants. None of the defendants have filed responses to the claim and none of the allegations have been proven in court.

Fisher's lawyer says allegations are false

Fisher was once a celebrated officer with the VPD's Counter Exploitation Unit, but in 2018, he pleaded guilty to breach of trust and sexual exploitation for kissing two vulnerable victims of the sex trade, including a young woman who had been exploited by Moazami.

The last year has seen a steady stream of new allegations against Fisher, including claims that he sexually abused many other young women during his investigations into Vancouver pimps. 

Fisher's lawyer, William Smart, told CBC in an email Monday that as far as he knows, Fisher has not been served with Moazami's claim.

Smart said Fisher denies any claims of wrongdoing beyond the crimes he pleaded guilty to, and any additional claims "are false and are simply an attempt to obtain money from him and the police." 

A spokesperson for the B.C. government said that the province is not able to comment while the matter is before the courts. Officials with the city and the VPD have yet to respond to requests for comment.

Moazami told CBC he filed the claim in part so Fisher will have to directly address the numerous allegations of misconduct that have been made against him.  

"He's going to have to sit there and give a response [about] whether he was forthcoming with the matter of his criminal procedure," Moazami said in a phone interview from Mission Institution, where he's currently serving a 23-year prison sentence.

"It seems to me that he has to be held accountable for his actions."

Moazami is also appealing his criminal convictions, arguing that Fisher's misconduct interfered with his right to a fair trial. 

Allegations officers obstructed investigation

The civil claim repeats several of the allegations Moazami has made in the course of his criminal appeal, including that Fisher gave witnesses money for drugs in return for sexual favours. 

The claim also includes allegations that other members of the VPD's small Counter Exploitation Unit (CEU) helped Fisher obstruct the investigation into his misconduct.

Three other former members of the unit are currently the subject of an outside investigation by the serious crimes division of the Alberta RCMP in connection with their conduct during the investigation into Fisher. All three officers remain on active duty but have been transferred to another unit.

Police have not revealed what the three officers are accused of, but Moazami's claim alleges that "VPD investigators ignored the facts that CEU members repeatedly obstructed Fisher investigations."

Moazami also claims that when CEU members were ordered to turn over their cellphones to investigators, they "wiped their phone and turned the phone over without any consequences."

Moazami claims that he suffered psychological trauma, breach of his constitutional rights and "loss of trust and confidence in police, prosecutors and other government authorities" as a result of the alleged actions outlined in the lawsuit.