Former Vancouver police head of public affairs claims harassment

The former director of public affairs for the Vancouver Police Department is suing the city, the force and one of the VPD's most prominent spokespeople for alleged "gender and racial discrimination, harassment and bullying."

In a lawsuit filed last week in B.C. Supreme Court, Sharmini Dee claims she resigned from her job in June after being "subjected to systemic and persistent gender-based harassment and discrimination by [Sgt. Steve] Addison and other VPD officers."

Dee — who went by the name Sharmini Thiagarajah for the nearly two decades she worked for the VPD —  is also suing B.C.'s attorney general and the minister of public safety for negligence, wrongful dismissal and what she alleges was the "intentional infliction of mental suffering."

"I want this to stop with me," Dee told the CBC in and interview at her lawyer's office Tuesday.

"This is absolutely not a personality conflict. This is absolutely systemic."

'Rude and disrespectful'

The VPD has yet to file a response to the lawsuit. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson said, "It would be inappropriate for us to comment on matters before the courts, specifically personnel matters."

According to a Vancouver Police Department organizational chart, the director of public affairs reports directly to Chief Const. Adam Palmer — the only civilian to hold one of the five senior positions directly under the chief.

Dee told the CBC she first began working for the VPD in 2006 as a graphic designer and went on to become a creative director working under the former director of public affairs before stepping into the role herself in November 2022.

In her lawsuit, Dee says that as a media relations officer, Addison reported to her.

The court documents accuse Addison of being "rude and disrespectful," "engaging in threatening and intimidating behaviour" and "disregarding the chain of command."

Dee also alleges that Addison told her she was "unsuitable for her job" and "that she was being set up to fail," arguing that "her job should have been given to him."

"Similar harassment and bullying by Addison were previously directed at other female members of the public affairs department," the lawsuit says.

"Upon complaining to the VPD administration, [Dee] was told that she needed to make accommodations for Addison while he adapted to [her] being his supervisor."

Dee says Vancouver police management was aware of her concerns. She says she was advised to "document everything," which led to her filing a complaint.

'Sexually explicit comments'

According to the lawsuit, Dee's complaint "led to retaliatory abuse from VPD officers ... which prevented [her] from effectively performing her job."

Dee claims she was treated differently from her male colleagues and subject to "sexually explicit comments" as well as comments dismissing her ability to carry out her job.

Dee says she began having nightmares and experiencing physical symptoms of stress. She says she went on sick leave in November 2023.

"As a consequence of the ongoing harassment that she experienced while working with the VPD, [Dee] was diagnosed with multiple psychiatric conditions including major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder," the lawsuit reads.

"Due to the systemic culture of gender and racially based harassment and discrimination in the VPD, [she] was ostracized, belittled and humiliated and her career advanced prospects limited."

'I'm absolutely not a snowflake'

In a statement issued Tuesday, B.C.'s Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner said the OPCC is reviewing the results of an internal VPD probe of Dee's complaints — which were brought to the OPCC's attention in 2023.

"The VPD initiated an internal investigation into the allegations involving violations of their respectful workplace policy," the statement says.

"The allegations were found to be unsubstantiated by a senior VPD officer who acted as the 'internal discipline authority.'"

According to the statement, the OPCC "reviews the outcomes of all internal investigations to determine whether there are any outstanding public trust matters requiring a further investigation."

Dee says she came to Canada as a refugee, fleeing civil war in Sri Lanka, where she lost family. She says she feels the police department left her with no choice but to sue.

"I'm absolutely not a snowflake," she told the CBC. "Doing this right now — I know I've ruined my career."

The notice of civil claim says the city, the force and the province had a duty to provide a safe workplace and to "educate and train VPD employees to promote a universal understanding that gender and sexual orientation-based harassment and discrimination in the workplace are harmful and will not be tolerated."

Rather than protecting her, Dee claims the City of Vancouver "permitted and enabled institutional structures throughout the VPD that consistently protected other employees."

Although she resigned from the force, Dee is claiming wrongful dismissal, alleging that "by allowing and condoning the existence of a toxic workplace, the defendants made it impossible for [her] to work in a respectful and productive work environment."

The lawsuit doesn't specify an amount for damages, but it claims Dee is seeking money for loss of income, past and future medical expenses, and aggravated, exemplary and punitive damages.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.