A British Columbia man who is suing the RCMP claims he walked naked out of his shower to find a female uniformed Mountie standing in his bedroom.

Kirk Forbes says the encounter in his Coquitlam home in June 2022 left him 鈥渟hocked, confused and embarrassed.鈥�

Mounties say in a news release issued Tuesday that the officers entered the home when they found that it appeared 鈥渋nsecure.鈥�

In a notice of civil claim filed in July, Forbes says it was only after he asked the woman why she was in his home that she identified herself as an RCMP officer, then asked him his name and said she was there to serve him a traffic ticket.

Forbes was told the violation happened in Pemberton, but he says in the claim he was unaware of any traffic violation.

He says after he got dressed, he went to his living room where he found a male officer searching his home.

He was told the officers had knocked on his door and 鈥渋t had flung open鈥� so they went in, the claim says. The female officer then 鈥渏oked mockingly that perhaps they should investigate whether a break-in had occurred.鈥�

Forbes says he was unsatisfied with that explanation and with the officer鈥檚 levity, which made him feel unsafe. He became 鈥渋ncreasingly upset, angry and shocked,鈥� the claim says.

It says the Mounties served him his violation ticket and left the home.

In the lawsuit, Forbes alleges the RCMP officers 鈥渁bused their authority and power,鈥� by walking into his home without his permission or a warrant to serve the ticket.

The Coquitlam Mounties say in the news release they are aware of the claim and that officers entered 鈥渨hat appeared to be an insecure premise鈥� to serve a traffic violation ticket.

RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Alexa Hodgins said in an interview that because there is litigation pending, there are limitations on what she can disclose. But she said there are circumstances in which an officer can enter someone鈥檚 property.

鈥淭here鈥檚 case law that if there鈥檚 an insecure premise that police have a duty to make sure that nobody鈥檚 injured inside and the only way you can do that is to enter,鈥� she said.

She said examples include 鈥渁 window being smashed, or a door opening or maybe the doors already open 鈥� those types of things.鈥�

The RCMP news release says the resident raised concerns about the officers鈥� presence in his home, but police believed they had 鈥渄ealt with those concerns informally鈥� before the man initiated a formal public complaint.

Forbes said in the statement of claim that he initially contacted the Coquitlam detachment and made an informal complaint about the situation. He said he was told they would investigate and report back to him.

After several weeks without an update, he said he went to the detachment, where a receptionist allegedly referred to him as 鈥渢he shower guy.鈥�

鈥淚t was apparent to the plaintiff that the incident had been discussed amongst other members and employees of the Coquitlam RCMP detachment which caused the plaintiff further anxiety, embarrassment, and upset,鈥� the lawsuit said.

This, the lawsuit said, is what led him to make a formal complaint to the Civilian Complaints Commission for the RCMP on May 12, 2023.

The RCMP statement says the incident is now under investigation, which will include a review of documentation, radio transmissions, and the informal process.

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