More cops face DUI charges this year, police chief says

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This article was published 01/12/2017 (2878 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A higher number of off-duty Winnipeg Police Service officers have been arrested for drunk-driving offences in 2017 than in the previous 10 years combined.

According to data released Friday afternoon by the WPS, five members of the force have been arrested in connection with impaired driving (four have been charged) this year.

From 2005 to 2016, there were a total of eight WPS officers charged with impaired driving-related offences: two incidents each in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2015.

“Do I really have to tell adults — any adults — not to drink and drive?” a visibly frustrated WPS Chief Danny Smyth said Friday. “We all know that.”

Const. Justin Holz, a 34-year-old, eight-year member of the police service, is charged in an Oct. 10 hit-and-run that killed 23-year-old Cody Severight, who was crossing Main Street. The collision occurred after Holz and several colleagues reportedly spent several after-work hours at a sports bar located a block from police headquarters.

In the last two weeks, two other off-duty Winnipeg officers have been charged with impaired care and control of their vehicles. One was arrested by Winnipeg police in West Kildonan, the other by RCMP near Headingley.

Const. Michael Richard Hawley, 49, has been charged with impaired care and control of a motor vehicle and refusing a breathalyzer after driving into a fence on Enniskillen Avenue. Hawley has also been charged with unsafe storage of a firearm and unsafe storage of an ammunition magazine, under the Consolidated Firearms Act.

He is on administrative leave.

The officer arrested Nov. 20 by RCMP has not been formally charged, so his name and details of the arrest have not been released.

In addition, Jason Garrett, a 28-year member of the WPS, was arrested by the RCMP in February 2017, and Andrew Tighe, a 23-year police veteran, was arrested by the WPS in June 2017.

The exact charges and further details for the Garrett and Tighe cases were not available Friday afternoon.

Smyth said although the City of Winnipeg offers both voluntary and mandatory counselling programs, he is consulting with his executive to see what, if anything, can be added in the wake of the recent string of arrests.

Meanwhile, a 17-year veteran of the RCMP has been charged with impaired driving and refusing to take a breathalyzer test after being stopped by East St. Paul RCMP on Sept. 1.

On Sept. 29, RCMP charged Cpl. Scott Hanson, after a “detailed investigation.”

A spokesman for the RCMP said the force’s policies requires the public should have been informed about Hanson being charged with a criminal code offence when he was charged.

“The Manitoba RCMP follows this policy closely, however, this week it came to our attention that a news release was not issued on this recent case where an RCMP officer was charged with impaired driving,” RCMP spokesman Sgt. Paul Manaigre said. “We immediately took steps to issue the release in line with our policy.”

Hanson is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. He has been placed on administrative duties.

The arresting officers reported they saw Hanson, who was off-duty, driving erratically near Birds Hill Provincial Park at about 10 p.m. When he got out of his own vehicle, he “exhibited signs of impairment,” police said.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba was informed about the incident when it happened and is monitoring the investigation.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca