EDMONTON JOURNAL
EDMONTON – An Edmonton police officer convicted of using unnecessary and gratuitous force when he Tasered a man for jaywalking received a conditional discharge today.
Const. Aubrey Zalaski, 34, must report to a parole officer for one year and give $1,000 to charity in an effort to restore public trust in the Edmonton Police Service, provincial court Judge Brian Fraser ruled.
Fraser also ordered Zalaski to take an anger management course and provide a DNA sample to the national databank. Fraser did not order a firearms prohibition, which means Zalaski may be able to continue his career as a police officer.
Defense lawyer Alex Pringle called the decision a “just result.”
“We are pleased with the sentence,” he said. “When somebody is discharged, there is no conviction registered.”
Pringle said his client would decide next week whether to appeal the April 27 conviction for assault with a weapon.
Around 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2004, Cetinski jaywalked across 103A Avenue. Zalaski, who was alone in a nearby police car, called out: “Have you ever heard of a crosswalk?”
Cetinski ignored him.
Zalaski followed the man into a nearby building, asked to see his driver’s licence and instructed him to return to the waiting police car.
Zalaski told Cetinski to sit on the curb, but he refused. Zalaski then ordered Cetinski to put his hands on the car and proceeded to handcuff him.
Cetinski tried to turn around, and Zalaski Tasered him twice in the back.
Cetinski was immediately incapacitated and defecated in his pants. He was handcuffed and brought to police headquarters, but released later that day. He was never charged.
In his victim impact statement read in court, Cetinski called the event a “nightmare” and said he suffered severe humiliation and financial losses.
“I have always held the highest regard for law enforcement officials for I grew up in a household in which my father loyally served as a member of the EPS for 25 years,” Cetinski said.
“It was devastating and has ultimately destroyed my faith in the Edmonton Police Service.”
kkleiss@thejournal.canwest.com
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