The top RCMP officer in British Columbia, Dwayne McDonald, has been removed from his position due to undisclosed allegations spanning from 2016 to 2018. John Brewer, who previously led B.C.’s extortion task force, has taken over as the new deputy commissioner and commanding officer of the B.C. RCMP.
The RCMP Commissioner, Mike Duheme, stated that further details regarding the allegations will not be disclosed at this time. However, he assured that the ongoing investigation will not impact RCMP operations or policing services in the province.
McDonald, who formerly served as the head of the Surrey RCMP and as the RCMP’s criminal operations officer overseeing federal and organized crime investigations in B.C., had his bio removed from the RCMP’s senior executive committee page. With nearly three decades of law enforcement experience, McDonald has held various key roles within the RCMP, including leading the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team and the anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit.
John Brewer, now the interim commanding officer of the B.C. RCMP, was previously an assistant commissioner within the RCMP and is endorsed by Commissioner Duheme as a respected member of the senior leadership team.
McDonald’s accolades include receiving the Order of Merit of the Police Forces in 2015. The B.C. RCMP’s E Division, where McDonald and Brewer served, is the largest division within the RCMP organization.