Officer steps away from misconduct hearing
EDMONTON JOURNAL
EDMONTON - A 55-second phone call that took place four years ago - and was mostly forgotten until this morning - was reason enough for Supt. Mark Logar to step down as judge of a police disciplinary hearing.
“For the sake of the integrity of the process, I need to step away,” Logar said at a misconduct hearing for Det. James Elkow.
“You simply cannot be a witness and preside at the same time. … The issue itself is clear. We need to be concerned about the integrity and credibility of the process.”
Elkow faces one internal charge of unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority in connection to a March 1, 2004 incident.
It is alleged he entered the north Edmonton home of Robert Cormier and Sarah Henderson without a warrant or other legal justification.
Cormier pepper-sprayed four officers, fled the home, was shot at, and had 12 of 13 charges laid against him dropped.
No evidence has been entered at Elkow’s hearing. However, it was revealed this morning that, minutes before officers went into Cormier’s home, Elkow called Logar.
Neither man remembers what was discussed during the phone call. Logar was head of south division operations at the time, but he has also been legal adviser to Edmonton police.
“It is reasonable to assume that the detective would have phoned me before the course of action, and presumably I gave him some advice that he relied upon,” Logar said.
“I really need to step away from this hearing. I do so with the greatest reluctance.”
Since taking on the job of presiding officer - the role of judge - for most internal disciplinary hearings in July 2006, this is only the second hearing Logar has had to quit.
Elkow still faces the single charge of misconduct. Future hearing dates will be set once a new presiding officer is appointed.