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This article was published 16/10/2014 (2166 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg police shift supervisor on duty when officers had contact with Tina Fontaine — hours before she was last seen alive — is a central figure in an internal sexual-harassment probe.

The Free Press has learned the ongoing investigation by the professional-standards unit has put the careers of several officers under an embarrassing microscope and may have far-reaching implications for a police service already under scrutiny for its handling of the case of Tina, who was an at-risk runaway listed as missing. Her body was pulled from the Red River Aug. 17.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES On Sept. 25, Chief Devon Clunis (right) and Supt. Danny Smyth released few details of the probe into the officers’ conduct. The Free Press has learned the officers’ supervisor is accused of sexual harassment.

The veteran police supervisor is accused of sexually harassing a lower-ranked female officer. She filed a complaint stating she was repeatedly pressured into having a sexual relationship during a two-year period. Investigators are probing whether the sexual relationship occurred when the two were on duty.

Sources told the Free Press the supervisor has been warned he could face up to 39 internal charges. He is also under review for his conduct in the Tina homicide investigation, sources said.

Last month, police Chief Devon Clunis announced he’d launched a formal investigation after discovering two officers — a field trainer and a recruit — had contact with the teen in the early-morning hours of Aug. 8 — hours before she was last seen alive.

Clunis said the pair had stopped a vehicle driven by a man, but Tina was allowed to go on her way despite being listed as a high-risk missing person.

Sources said the two officers identified Tina at the scene but took no action.

Clunis said the two officers were on administrative leave. He wouldn’t say whether they searched Tina’s name in the computer system or knew who she was. He gave no other details.

The implication is that if they had taken her off the streets that night and returned her to a place of safety, perhaps the deadly chain of events that followed might have been prevented.

As well, their only action against the driver was to ticket him for suspended driving and detain him in the drunk tank.

He was not charged with impaired driving, which is viewed as another breach of procedure.

All of this happened on the watch of their downtown supervisor — the same man who was already under investigation following a complaint from a female officer, sources say.

This may explain why Clunis and other police brass have been reluctant to offer details.

The basis of the officer’s sexual-harassment allegations is she was repeatedly pressured by the supervisor into having a sexual relationship. Complicating matters is that she is married to another police officer. Sources say the supervisor has taken the position they had a consensual affair.

The investigation isn’t close to being finished. That’s because the pair allegedly left work early, without authorization. "They would leave work early, put in slips and go do their business," a source said.

As a result, another supervising officer who oversaw the time sheets is also being investigated. That patrol sergeant — who allegedly covered up the early leaves from work — may face a single charge.

There are also claims the pair may have been allowed into the home of a high-profile local public figure — through a mutual friend who works in real estate — and that explicit photos of the woman were taken inside.

The public figure would have had no knowledge of his residence being used.

Those photos apparently surfaced during a forensic examination of the woman’s phone as part of the harassment review.

She voluntarily provided the phone to show various text messages that had been sent.

Sources say the pictures had been deleted, but were recovered by technical experts.

The Free Press is not publishing any names at this point because no criminal charges have been laid nor has any legal sanction such as a lawsuit or court order been taken out.

The professional-standards unit does not comment on investigations. Police have refused to comment on the homicide investigation.

The Free Press gave a list of questions to the police media office Thursday pertaining to the sexual-harassment case.

The police service responded: "On Sept. 25, 2014, Chief Clunis provided an update regarding the Tina Fontaine homicide investigation and acknowledged an ongoing internal investigation. The Winnipeg Police Service continues to investigate, and is unable to provide further information at this time."

mikeoncrime.com

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca

Dan Lett

Columnist Born and raised in and around Toronto, Dan Lett came to Winnipeg in 1986, less than a year out of journalism school with a lifelong dream to be a newspaper reporter. Read full biography