EDMONTON SUN
An Edmonton police officer has lost his bid to have an outside force hear his disciplinary case.
Police Supt. Mark Logar ruled this morning he has no “personal animosity” towards the officer’s lawyer, Tom Engel, and therefore he won’t be removing himself from the case against Const. Sebastien Berube.
Engel claimed Logar was biased since he had once launched a complaint against him with the Law Society of Alberta.
Engel also argued an outside police agency should preside since the Edmonton force had suspended Berube without pay following an incident on Whyte Avenue in 2006. He’s accused of flipping out at fellow police officers who busted him for snubbing a parking ban.
Engel charged the ruling on Berube’s pay means police have an added interest in convicting the officer.
Logar, however, this morning said he has never been involved in discussions with police management about Berube’s case.
He also said that because his disagreements with Engel are professional and not personal, “I’m not predisposed to any results. I do not favour one side over the other.”
Berube is charged with five counts under the Police Act. The allegations against him include leaving two-strip club servers unsupervised in the constables’ lounge at police headquarters in 2005.
He also faces charges over the Whyte Avenue incident as well as a 2005 crash he was involved in.
Police allege he threatened to have the other driver involved in the crash charged if she didn’t agree to the settlement he proposed.
The hearing is to resume on Oct. 9.
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