Officer slapped with 34 charges

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This article was published 16/09/2016 (3322 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While his fellow officers were risking their lives to get illegal drugs and weapons off city streets, one bad cop is alleged to have been stealing the seized evidence and funnelling it back onto the streets.

Cocaine, methamphetamine, Oxycodone, Ecstasy, Percocet and marijuana — drugs that do untold damage to society — were discovered after search warrants were executed on the rogue cop’s Oakbank home.

Those drugs and many illegal weapons, also found during the police raid, were familiar to police since they had already been taken off the streets once.

It’s believed the bad cop had been helping himself to police evidence for half a dozen years. Police noticed the discrepancies and began investigating about a year ago. An arrest — of one of their own— was made on Wednesday.

Calling it “a dark chapter” for the Winnipeg Police Service, Deputy Police Chief Danny Smyth said a veteran officer is facing dozens of charges — and more could be coming.

Const. Trent Milan, 42, an 18-year veteran police officer, had been charged with 34 offences including criminal breach of trust, attempting to obstruct justice, and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking seized during police investigations.

Smyth said Milan, who was working general patrol in the west district, has been placed on administrative leave.

“This is a dark chapter for the Winnipeg Police Service,” Smyth said on Friday during a news conference that had been rescheduled from the day before after police realized Milan hadn’t been officially charged yet.

“I can tell you, during the course of this investigation, my emotions have run from disbelief to anger to disappointment to resolve and now here today, to actually some relief that we have brought this member essentially to justice now,” he said.

“I also want to say to people that we serve that incidents like this are rare. The Winnipeg Police Service does not tolerate this type of behaviour.”

Smyth said the allegations first came to light about a year ago but the offences date back to 2010, when Milan was part of the department’s street crime unit. He said he expects more charges could be laid, but he stressed no other officers were involved.

Smyth said illegal drugs and prohibited weapons were found in the officer’s home after a search warrant was executed.

According to court documents, the weapons include several brass knuckles, centrifugal force knives, and butterfly knives.

Milan is also charged with two counts of stealing jewelry worth more than $5,000.

The breach of trust allegation is that he was “benefiting personally by his police related duties”, while another charge alleges he gave confidential police information to somebody outside the service to “attempt to obstruct, pervert or defeat the course of justice”.

Maurice Sabourin, president of the Winnipeg Police Association, said other officers were “shocked” when they heard the allegations against Milan.

“My members are in disbelief. They don’t think this individual is capable of committing these offences.”

Sabourin said the association has a duty to pay Milan’s legal costs, but that stops when it determines something illegal has been done.

“If we determine there is wrongdoing, the individual would be on their own,” he said.

Smyth said while the investigation is ongoing, it was crucial that they brought the matter forward at this time in light of the seriousness of the charges that have led to Milan’s arrest and his removal from active duty.

Milan was released on a promise to appear.

‘I can tell you, during the course of this investigation, my emotions have run from disbelief to anger to disappointment to resolve, and now here today, to actually some relief that we have brought this member essentially to justice now’– Winnipeg Police ServiceDeputy Chief Danny Smyth (left)

Smyth said in keeping with Winnipeg police regulations, Milan’s employment status will be reviewed by the chief of police once the investigation has been completed.

Smyth also said the Director of the Independent Investigations Unit (IIU) was informed early on about the investigation. He said the IIU has been monitoring the investigation from the onset, and was briefed prior to Milan’s arrest and regarding the conditions of his release.

Meanwhile, while Milan has been charged with numerous criminal offences, his neighbours on his street only knew him as a friendly helpful guy.

Dave Lochhead, a neighbour across the street from Milan’s home, said he had nothing bad to say about him.

“I think he’s a good guy,” Lochhead said on Friday.

“He’s the nicest neighbour. I can’t believe all this, I just saw it on the news.

“When we first moved in here right away he was the first one to come over with a bottle of wine and asking if there was anything he could do to help.”

But Lochhead said he knew his neighbour was in some type of trouble when police descended on the quiet street on Wednesday.

“They took him away in handcuffs,” he said.

“Police were here all day. They were banging on the door and one guy had his gun out at the side of the house.

“I just can’t stress what a good neighbour he is.”

Another resident, who didn’t want to be named, said Milan was always friendly and never held loud parties.

“We never had any problems with him,” the resident said.

Nobody answered the door at Milan’s single storey bungalow in the newer subdivision in Oakbank. A large dog could be heard barking inside.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca