Edmonton Police Watch

(Copyright Prince George Citizen 2006)

EDMONTON — Edmonton’s police chief has for the first time publicly voiced his support for independent investigations into allegations of police misconduct.

“I am in favour of an arm’s-length process of investigation,” Mike Boyd said at a year-end news conference.

“The problem is not with the quality of (internal) investigations. The problem is with the perception we may not be doing everything we could be doing.”

Boyd made the announcement as he detailed changes in the internal disciplinary process, including better training, more efficient case management and increased transparency.

He said he has been working with the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police and former solicitor general Harvey Cenaiko on plans for the independent investigations.

Newly appointed Solicitor General Fred Lindsay was not available for comment Friday but a spokesman said work is proceeding.

“We are still moving ahead with this model because the chiefs of police are behind the initiative,” spokesman Andy Weiler said. “The solicitor general is open to all ideas that increase public confidence in investigations into police conduct.”

Credit: Canadian Press

Waiting for answers in Overtime fiasco

EDMONTON SUN

Original

Over Christmas I made my first visit to the Overtime bar in downtown Edmonton since that infamous night in November 2004 when city cops used an undercover surveillance operation to try to nab my colleague Kerry Diotte for drunk driving.

No undercover officers this time. Most of the people I talked to knew about the story - although none seemed clear why, two years later, it ought to be of public interest.

Well, that’s the easy part. Because it involves allegations of a serious abuse of police powers.

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EDMONTON JOURNAL

Original

EDMONTON - Edmonton Police Chief Mike Boyd has, for the first time, publicly voiced his support for independent investigations of police misconduct.

“I am in favour of an arm’s-length process of investigation,” Boyd said Friday at a year-end press conference.

“The problem is not with the quality of (internal) investigations. The problem is with the perception we may not be doing everything we could be doing.

Read the rest of this entry »

(Copyright Edmonton Journal 2006)

EDMONTON - The Law Enforcement Review Board has tossed out a decision by former Edmonton police chief Bob Wasylyshen and ordered the police to conduct a disciplinary hearing into allegations of deceit and discreditable conduct against two officers.

The board also criticized the police for arresting the complainant and a witness in the case on outstanding warrants in the middle of the LERB hearing.

The two officers, Const. Marc Cochlin and Sgt. Dana Donald, were originally accused of stopping and searching Paul Unrau without legal justification.

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