Edmonton Police Watch

(Copyright Edmonton Journal 2006)

EDMONTON - An Edmonton police officer has been charged with assault with a weapon in connection with a traffic stop after a motorist was Tasered.

Police spokesperson Karen Carlson said the charge stems from an Aug. 9, 2004, incident where a police officer stopped a motorist for a traffic-related offence near 103A Avenue and 97th Street. A struggle ensued and the officer used his Taser.

The motorist alleged the force used was excessive, she said.

The complaint was reviewed by internal affairs detectives, who sent their report to the Calgary Crown prosecutor’s office for review.

Edmonton’s police chief decided the officer should be criminally charged, Carlson said.

Const. Aubrey Zalaski is to appear in court June 16.

(Copyright Edmonton Journal 2006)

Sergeant who made, distributed T-shirts faces discreditable conduct charge

EDMONTON — An Edmonton police officer accused and later exonerated of assaulting inner-city residents is one of four officers who wore “no rats” T-shirts to a police function during an investigation of him and his downtown squad.

But Const. Elvin Toy and three other officers who wore the T- shirts in June 2005 will not face an internal disciplinary hearing.

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(Copyright Edmonton Journal 2006)

EDMONTON - An Edmonton police constable will have a reprimand on her record for three years for failing to record that she used her Taser.

Const. Renee Martynuik, a downtown patrol officer, pleaded guilty to the offence in April at a disciplinary hearing. On Thursday, it was up to presiding officer Supt. Mark Logar to decide her punishment.

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(Copyright Edmonton Journal 2006)

EDMONTON - A teenager arrested for a break-in claims he was being co-operative when a police officer zapped him with a Taser in a holding cell.

The 19-year-old, who was 15 at the time of the arrest and cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, gave testimony at his trial Wednesday that contradicted the officer’s version of the event.

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(Copyright Edmonton Journal 2006)

‘I did not want to hurt the accused. I just wanted to gain his compliance’

EDMONTON - A city police officer testified at trial that he had no option other than to use a Taser on a teenager when the boy became defensive during a strip search in a holding cell.

“He came at me,” Const. Todd Hudec testified Tuesday in provincial court.

“I did not want to hurt the accused. I just wanted to gain his compliance.”

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(Copyright Edmonton Journal 2006)

EDMONTON - A city police officer has filed a $900,000 lawsuit against the force claiming he was bullied and harassed while a member of its tactical unit.

Const. Adam Morrison also alleges in the suit, filed two weeks ago, that tactical team leaders drank excessive amounts of alcohol before conducting firearms training.

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