Alleged treatment at the Prince George RCMP detachment is making up an extensive part of a second lawsuit a female Mountie has launched against the national police force.
In a statement of claim filed last week in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver, Const. Karen Katz alleges she was the recipient of many offensive, humiliating and demeaning comments during the time she worked in Prince George from March 1990 to July 1994.
Many of the comments were sexual, including ones suggesting in vulgar terms that she should provide sexual services. "'Karen, you are just the right height to put a beer on your head and you can give me ... (oral sex)," the statement of claim says.
Katz alleges male members of the force also talked about the sizes of their penises, how good they were in bed and asked who she was sleeping with.
She also alleges members of the detachment's identification section combined a photo of her and of a male colleague who had a reputation as a ladies man to make it appear they were a couple and then placed it in a Prince George newspaper as a marriage announcement.
The incident left Katz very embarrassed, according to the statement of claim, as she was contacted by her mother who in turn had been contacted by a friend who saw the ad.
Prince George was her first posting after completing officer training in Regina. Katz alleges the field training officer in Prince George made it clear he did not want to train a recruit and often yelled and screamed at her so loudly she was reduced to tears.
As a result of conditions at the women's change room at the detachment, Katz says she kept her uniform and equipment at her home, which she shared with another female RCMP member, with her revolver securely stored in a locked cabinet.
In February 1994, while off work due to minor foot surgery, RCMP showed up at the home and claimed they received a report she was locked in her bedroom with a gun to her head threatening to commit suicide, according to the statement.
Katz responded with shock and disbelief but, to diffuse the situation, she surrendered her revolver. However, one of the attending members still tried to force his way into her bedroom saying she needed his help.
The officer was one of two at the home who were representatives of the member assistance program, a group of regular members who had volunteered to provide personal help to their colleagues.
When Katz returned to duty, she learned the revolver was put on display for all detachment members to see and a rumour that she tried to commit suicide was spread, she further alleges.
She also alleges members assistance program representatives and a psychologist provided confidential information about her to RCMP Health Services, supervisors and officers in charge.
Katz alleges similar treatment at RCMP depot in Regina and at North Vancouver RCMP where she eventually worked after she transferred from Prince George.
Katz, who has authored four books on outlaw biker culture, said she now suffers from a variety of health disorders, including post-traumatic stress, bulimia and severe abdominal pain because of the continual harassment and abuse.
"I live in the abyss," Katz told The Canadian Press in an interview.
"Did I deserve this? No. I joined the RCMP to be an RCMP officer and serve the Canadian public.
"I didn't join to be told I was fat, and that, you know, to be ... to be sexually harassed and harassed. I joined because I wanted to do intelligence work on outlaw biker gangs."
RCMP Supt. Ray Bernoties declined to comment on the most recent lawsuit Sunday.
"The RCMP has not had the opportunity to review these unproven allegations but at some point all the facts will be known and all statements will be made under oath in court," he said in an email to The Canadian Press.
"Until then, it would be inappropriate to speculate or to comment further."
Earlier this year, Katz filed a separate lawsuit against a fellow officer and the provincial and federal governments over allegations of harassment and sexual assault. None of those allegations have been proven in court.
Her most-recent court action adds to a number of lawsuits that have been filed by current and former female Mounties against the RCMP since last fall.
The allegations of harassment within the force have prompted Commissioner Bob Paulson to pledge that he will root out what he calls "dark-hearted behaviour" from the Mounties.
