‘I expect better conduct of officers’: Police chief addresses string of impaired-driving charges among off-duty cops

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This article was published 29/11/2017 (2881 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Winnipeg’s police service does not have a drinking problem, the man who leads the force told a news conference Wednesday afternoon, moments after acknowledging a third officer is facing impaired driving charges in recent weeks.

“I am going to push back a little on this idea,” WPS Chief Danny Smyth said in response to suggestions there’s a police culture of binge drinking. “While I acknowledge that there are some members that may be engaging in this kind of behaviour, there are approximately 1,400 cops in Winnipeg.

“The vast majority do not engage in this kind of behaviour.”

Smyth called the hastily arranged news conference to deal with questions about officers’ behaviour following a fatal hit-and-run in October, in which Justin Holz, 34, an eight-year member of the force, is charged with killing 23-year-old Cody Severight and then leaving the scene after a post-shift gathering at a sports bar a block away from police headquarters.

In addition to the arrest Sunday of another off-duty eight-year member of the force who has been charged with impaired care and control of a vehicle and refusing a breathalyzer test, Smyth acknowledged a third city officer was charged a week ago with a similar offence.

He said he decided to come forward to respond to questions about the department’s apparent failure to be transparent by not releasing information about Sunday’s arrest until it was reported in the media a day later. That officer was arrested after he drove into a fence in West Kildonan.

Smyth divulged that a third off-duty officer was arrested by Headingley RCMP on Nov. 20. and will be charged with impaired care and control of a vehicle.

Smyth said the two officers will appear in court in January and both incidents have been referred to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba.

“I feel horrible about this,” he said. “I expect better conduct of officers.”

Smyth said police practice has been to release details once WPS members have been formally charged, but in both incidents no names could be released because they had been issued promises to appear and hadn’t formally answered the charges.

“I am right here today before these charges were laid,” he said, adding it isn’t true that police hadn’t been transparent, because in both cases the Winnipeg Police Board and the city’s administration were informed, as well as the investigation unit.

“These officers will be held accountable for their conduct in criminal proceedings and regulatory proceedings,” he said.

But when asked if police should release information before formal charges are laid in future incidents involving police, Smyth said, “perhaps.”

Officers who recognize they may have a drinking problem have voluntary access to the department’s behavioural health unit, he said, adding they would receive a mandatory referral if, for example, they showed up for work with the smell of alcohol on their breath.

“I feel horrible about this.” – Police Chief Danny Smyth

”These are problems that our society deals with every day,” he said. “Police are no different. What makes this unique and perhaps newsworthy is that we are held to a higher standard because we are responsible for enforcing the laws and ensuring public safety.”

Denise Elias, president of the Winnipeg chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said she feels “sadness, disappointment and frustration” that another officer has been charged with a drinking and driving offence.

“But I am thankful no one was killed,” Elias said.

“It’s just so, so unfortunate. I don’t like to use the word unfair, but this conduct is so unfair to all the great officers out there.”

Zane Tessler, the investigation unit’s civilian director, said he was informed about the Headingley incident shortly after it occurred and he decided that, as is the case in the West Kildonan incident, his agency will take a “monitoring and oversight” role, letting the arresting forces continue their investigations.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca