| Investigations of BC Police Corruption
GOVERNOR (Reports and Investigations) Transcript and exhibits, trial of BC Board of Police Commissioners, 1911, MdHR 50,265-11 [MSA S1044-21, 2/28/5/30]
Owen's research notes:
Ward was called to testify twice (pps. 554-601; 2635-2648) in the investigation, which dealt with allegations that the Police Commissioners had allowed the department to protect bars that violated
liquor rules and had protected a notorious cocaine dealer (Robert E. Davis, I think). Ward testified that he knew the Vice-Marshal (2nd in command) gave orders to tip off bars about when undercover
officers were conducting surveillance. Ward also claimed that he had been ordered by the commissioners not to raid a bookie who was politically connected. He only discussed the corruption of others within
the department, and his own protection operation was touched on only very tangentially.
The investigation lasted about two months and resulted in 4300 pages of testimony. At the end, however, the Governor concluded that there was no reason to take any action.
There were a number of police captains who were discussed (Captain Pumphrey, the head of the detective department, was accused of corruption during the Governor's investigation). As far as I can
tell, Ward was the only captain dismissed for corruption in 1909-1910. Ward seems like a good candidate, since he's dismissed at the right time and is implicated in ordering raids on some clubs and brothels
and protecting others.
I did not see any mention of Baldwin. After Ward was dismissed, he told The Sun that he knew about a lot of gambling in Baltimore that was protected by the police, which is what this investigation called
him to testify about. Ward's own protection operation--the operation which led to the raid in which Baldwin was arrested--was not discussed. |
