EDMONTON SUN
Several charges were tossed yesterday against two high-ranking Edmonton police officers accused of taking bribes in an alleged photo radar scandal.
This happened as a provincial court preliminary hearing for Staff Sgt. Kerry Nisbet, 51, and Det. Thomas Bell, 49, wrapped up following closing arguments.
The judge who heard the case says she will give her decision in the fall as to whether the two officers will be committed to stand trial on the remaining charges.
Judge Elizabeth Johnson discharged two counts against each officer after Calgary Crown prosecutor Peter Mackenzie said he would not be proceeding on them.
That leaves two charges for Bell and one for Nisbet.
Bell, the former head of the EPS photo-radar program, is accused of accepting bribes, including Edmonton Oiler tickets and free travel, from Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), a Dallas-based photo radar firm. Bell is also accused of breach of trust for allegedly submitting false documents to the Edmonton Police Commission to help ACS renew its city photo-radar contract.
Nisbet, who was head of the traffic unit, is accused of attempted breach of trust for allegedly trying to interfere with research into the productivity of ACS photo-radar speed detection technology.
The charges stem from a 19-month RCMP investigation into the way police tendered a 20-year photo radar and red light camera contract worth $90 million. The city suspended the contract pending the police investigation.
ACS is also charged with offering bribes and has a four-week preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 19.
Currently the city has a month-to-month contract with ACS while councillors determine how they plan to run photo radar in the future.
Bell and Nisbet, who are suspended with pay, also face possible internal discipline. If convicted, they could face maximum sentences of five years on each charge.
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