Lawyer wants officer dismissed for tracking Alberta minister in 2017
The lawyer for Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips is asking Alberta's Law Enforcement Review Board (LERB) to recommend a dismissal of an officer who photographed Phillips and didn't report the improper activity to a superior.
Last July, Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) officers Sgt. Jason Carrier and Const. Keon Woronuk were temporarily demoted after admitting to using their positions to watch Phillips and guests who had met with the then-environment minister at a diner in 2017. The pair admitted to tracking Phillips and taking photographs of her for personal and political reasons.
According to the disciplinary report, both officers were avid off-road vehicle riders and had concerns with the NDP's plans to restrict vehicle use in the Castle region. Phillips was serving as the province's environment minister at the time.
Woronuk followed the vehicle of a person who met with Phillips, ran a police check on the license plate and sent a screen capture of the results to Carrier and another member of the LPS. He then posted photos of Phillips at the diner to Facebook using a pseudonym.
Woronuk has since resigned from the LPS.
Phillips was granted the right to appeal the way LPS dealt with her complaints and how the two officers were disciplined. At Tuesday's LERB hearing, Phillips' lawyer Michael Bates argued that Sgt. Carrier knew what Woronuk was doing, yet failed to report it.
"It was his sworn duty to report the illegal conduct of his friend, but he did nothing," Bates argued.
Carrier's lawyer, Dan Scott, said that the sergeant took the initial picture of Phillips, but did not participate in following her or the person she had met with.
"We take great issue with any suggestion that there was a plan on behalf of anybody other than Const. Woronuk to follow anybody from the diner," Scott said Tuesday afternoon.
Bates is also asking for the LERB to recommend mandatory ethics and professional responsibility training for officers.
"Like any member of the public, it is okay to hold opinions and views but, unlike an ordinary member of the public, a police officer acting in his official capacity must be, and must be seen as being politically neutral," Bates told the LERB.
"A police officer should never use their office as a means to advance their personal agenda," he said.
Phillips attended the LERB's hearing virtually, but did not speak. Her office declined an interview request. The Lethbridge Police Service says it will not comment while the matter is ongoing.
There is no word exactly when the LERB's decision will be issued.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.