Indecency charge against Osoyoos RCMP officer dropped

An Osoyoos police officer facing an accusation of committing an indecent act has had his charges dropped.

Const. Ryan Fulcher’s charges were stayed on May 5 after Crown counsel determined the charge against him could no longer be made, B.C. Prosecutions Service communications counsel Dan McLaughlin said in an email today, Oct. 29.

Fulcher was an RCMP officer working out of the Oliver detachment when he was charged with one count of an indecent act related to an incident that took place “at or around Penticton” on Sept. 29, 2018.

McLaughlin said charges will only be approved or continued where Crown counsel is satisfied the evidence gathered by the investigative agency provides a substantial likelihood of conviction. If that evidentiary standard is no longer met, or the prosecution is deemed to be no longer in the public interest, a prosecution cannot proceed.

“In this case, the prosecutor concluded the test was no longer met and directed a stay of proceedings,” McLaughlin said.

Fulcher also faced an internal code of conduct investigation in January of this year, but the hearing was suddenly cancelled on Jan. 14.

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