B.C. RCMP commanding officer relieved of duties following unspecified allegations

The RCMP’s commanding officer in B.C. has been relieved of his duties following unspecified allegations dating from 2016 to 2018, according to a statement from the force.

Dwayne McDonald has been replaced in his capacity as deputy commissioner and B.C. RCMP commanding officer by John Brewer, who previously headed up B.C.’s extortion task force.

The statement, attributed to RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme on Thursday, said the force would not be providing further details on the allegations at this time.

“I want to reassure you that there will be no impact on RCMP operations or policing services in the province,” Duheme said in the statement.

The statement says the allegations are under investigation, and they were “recently brought” to the RCMP’s attention.

McDonald was formerly the top cop at the Surrey RCMP, and served as the RCMP’s criminal operations officer in charge of federal and organized crime investigations for the province of B.C.

CBC News has reached out to the RCMP for more on this story.

McDonald’s bio has been removed from a page listing the RCMP’s senior executive committee.

A 2024 bio said he had nearly three decades of law enforcement experience, and previously worked at the Canada Border Services Agency.

He had held a number of other roles — including heading up both the Lower Mainland’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team and the anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit — and frequently spoke at news conferences.

McDonald received the Order of Merit of the Police Forces in 2015.

The B.C. RCMP, or E Division, is the largest of the force’s 15 divisions.

Brewer, who was appointed as interim commanding officer of E Division and deputy commissioner, was previously an assistant commissioner with the RCMP.

In the RCMP statement, Duheme is quoted as saying that Brewer has his full confidence, and that he is a “respected member of the RCMP’s senior leadership team.”