The ex-wife of a demoted police officer in Chatham-Kent wants answers and changes to the way police deal with accused and problem officers.
Janine Bechard, the former wife of demoted Constable Darcy Lunn, told Blackburn News she is disappointed with Chatham-Kent police (CKPS) and its Police Services Act investigation for just slapping Lunn on the wrist and allowing him to return to work patrolling the community, despite the fact that he was convicted of assaulting and threatening her. She accuses CKPS of neglect, ignorance, and sweeping the matter under the rug to protect Lunn. Bechard said policing needs to change because officers are hired to protect the community and need to be held to a higher standard. She said she was physically and mentally abused for 23 years at the hands of Lunn but could not reach out for help because she and her son were threatened by Constable Lunn.
"Darcy would bring his gun home from work and leave it on the island in the kitchen or on the top shelf of the bookshelf in the living room. Darcy threatened to shoot me and my son so that he could feel better about his life and not deal with his problems as his mental health was deteriorating due to his use of injectable steroids," Bechard alleged.
Chatham-Kent Police Constable Darcy Lunn. (Photo courtesy of the Chatham-Kent Police Service)
Bechard pointed to statistics that suggest the families of police officers experience domestic violence at a higher rate than the rest of the general public. She wants to see police acknowledge this and have measures in place so victims can feel comfortable and supported when they come forward with information about their abusive situations. She also wants resources available for the victims after the charges and sentencing are done.
Bechard claims Lunn struck her and his son, threatened their lives, brought his police-issued firearm home without permission from his department, and called her at work and threatened her so loudly that co-workers could hear it. She added he would call her home and leave "unsettling threatening messages," stalk her, and send emails after she blocked him on her phone. Bechard said she was punched so badly that her son had to stop Constable Lunn from continuing because he feared his mother could be killed. She said she was punched in the face, fell down the stairs, and blacked out only to wake up and find her phone missing to prevent her from calling 911.
"My ex-husband Darcy Lunn was protected by the badge he was given when he became an officer with the Chatham Kent police back in 1998," she said. "Darcy never apologized to his son or to me, not even when asked during his sentencing in May of 2020 if he had anything he would like to say."
Bechard said she requested several times to speak to CK Police Chief Gary Conn but was denied. She also fears for her life, is in therapy, and feels "horribly let down by Chatham-Kent police."
"Not once was my request granted. I am not pleased with the the ignorance, neglect, and the protection provided by the CK police for their guilty police officer, Darcy. The facts are in black-and-white and available for the public to see, showing Chatham Kent police continues to protect their own by not investigating serious situations properly and, for a lack of a better term, sweeping serious situations under the rug," said Bechard. "I am furious with Chatham Kent police as they did not reach out to me to tell me that Darcy had pleaded guilty, that Darcy did not want to face me and deal with the truth. Not once did Chatham Kent police put my or my son's safety first."
Bechard said she is coming forward with this information to show her son how a horrible situation doesn’t have to control his life. She said he can move forward in a positive light by sharing his information, his experiences, and possibly helping others. Her goal, she said, is to explain to the public that there is a problem with municipal policing and that officers are not held to a higher standard but are protected by the badge.
"A badge is supposed to mean to serve and protect but unfortunately doesn’t mean to serve the community and protect the community. This needs to change," Bechard said. "Serious therapy, counseling and proper professional help should be mandatory [for troubled officers]. A paid suspension is not a suitable punishment. A non-police officer would have been given jail time and much more serious conditions. The survivor deserves to be supported and protected, not the criminal."
Bechard also plans to file a formal complaint with The Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), which is an independent civilian oversight agency that handles public complaints of police conduct in Ontario. She also thanks the community for all of the support.
Chatham-Kent police said Chief Conn will not be providing any further comment because he has already commented on the case.