Roxanne Greene made a journey from Labrador to attend a rare hearing conducted by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Public Complaints Commission (RNCPCC) in St. John’s. Her former spouse, retired Sgt. Nick Rumbolt, opted out of participating. Throughout the day, Greene emotionally testified, alleging that Rumbolt forcibly entered her residence in 2009 and sexually assaulted her after a period of intense harassment, often while he was on duty and in uniform.
During the hearing, it was disclosed that Rumbolt had retired from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and would not be involved in the proceedings. Represented by lawyer John Drover, Rumbolt’s presence was solely to ensure procedural correctness. The alleged breaches of RNC regulations against Rumbolt include conduct unbecoming of a police officer, failure to adhere to proper procedures, showing discourtesy to a member of the public, and leveraging his police position for personal gain. The allegations span from 2009 to 2019.
Despite maintaining that the situation was a long-standing marital dispute, Rumbolt declined to participate in the hearing, leaving Drover without instructions. Greene recounted an incident in 2009 when she attempted to file a complaint at the RNC station in Labrador City but was met with resistance from officers who did not take her seriously. Despite subsequent attempts to escalate her complaint, she felt that the matter was not handled appropriately.
Years later, Greene and her husband testified about an encounter with Rumbolt during a traffic stop, leading to a formal complaint being lodged with the RNCPCC. Despite a criminal investigation by the RCMP and subsequent review by the Serious Incident Response Team, no charges were filed. In 2022, Greene amended her complaint to include the sexual assault allegations, emphasizing the need for change within law enforcement to prevent similar situations.
As the hearing concluded, Greene expressed a desire for systemic improvements to prevent future instances of domestic violence. The matter has been adjourned to December 7 for further submissions.
