Ryneveld rejects job heading up B.C. probe into man's death

B.C.'s police complaints commissioner has turned down a job heading up an inquiry into the death of a native man because he says it might conflict with his current job.

Dirk Ryneveld said Monday he was also worried about the "perception of impartiality," because he and his staff had recommended such an inquiry to the government in 2004, but the government had rejected it.

The province reversed that decision last Thursday, and appointed Ryneveld to head the inquiry.

"After having had the benefit of reflection and legal advice, I believe that the course of prudence would be for me to respectfully decline such an appointment," Ryneveld wrote to Solicitor General John Les.

The inquirywill look intowhy aMi'kmak man from New Brunswick, Frank Paul, 47, died of exposure in 1998 after police removed him from a jail cell and left him drunk and unconscious in an alley.

The inquiry is being held in light of new information CBC News reported last week about a corrections officer who claims the internal police investigation was a sham.

Greg Firlotte told CBC News he helped drag Paul to the police van, thinking the driver would take him home.

The driver was suspended for a day after an internal police review concluded he had dumped Paul in the alley.

Firlotte said the Vancouver Police Department didn't want to find out the truth.

'I've never been interviewed' : corrections officer

"I've never been interviewed by the VPD," he told CBC News. "How can you have somebody die who was in the custody of the VPD … and I'm one of the principals, and I've never been interviewed?

Firlotte had taken his concerns to Ryneveld in 2003, which was why Ryneveld recommended a full inquiry in 2004, and why he feels he might be seen as biased in the case.

The solicitor general said Monday he accepts Ryneveld's decision.

"I take those comments at face value. It is clear that, when we now conduct this public inquiry, it has to be above and beyond any potential criticism whatsoever. So I appreciate Mr. Ryneveld suggesting that there might be some problems with him conducting that inquiry," Les said.

Les says he hopes the government will soon find another skilled jurist to act as inquiry commissioner.