Saskatoon StarPhoenix Staff
Saskatoon’s chief of police says the firing of three members was a difficult choice, but necessary in the aftermath of an off-duty incident last year.
“The actions we’ve taken here today reflect our commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability and demonstrate that no one is above the expectations of this organization or the trust placed in us by the community,” Saskatoon police Chief Cam McBride said Wednesday in a statement.
“The decision to dismiss a police officer is never made lightly, but is necessary when the conduct falls short of the standards our community expects and deserves.”
FIRINGS COME ONE YEAR AFTER SUSPENSIONS
In November 2024, SPS announced the suspensions of six officers with pay as investigations into their conduct were underway.
McBride, during a news conference at the time, said details about the suspensions couldn’t immediately be shared. However, police last year did say that five of those suspensions were connected to an administrative review that began in mid-September 2024 due to an off-duty incident.
Saskatoon Police Service this week confirmed that two constables — one with nine years of service and one with 10 years of service — along with a special constable with two years of service were among those five officers suspended after an off-duty gathering in September 2024. SPS on Wednesday noted the three have now been dismissed as unsuitable for police service under The Police Act, 1990.
Following an investigation, two others returned to work in April of this year, SPS said.
MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS
According to a CBC report last month, the suspensions one year ago came following a house party that was hosted by a member of the emergency response team.
According to the report, officers who contacted CBC alleged that a member of the emergency response team physically assaulted a female officer at the party. The same officers also claimed that a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang was invited to the party, which jeopardized the police undercover program.
SPS said a professional standards investigation into the incident has concluded, while an investigation by Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is continuing into one aspect of it.
Under Section 61 of The Police Act, 1990, the SPS members who were fired have the right to appeal. Should that occur, SPS noted, a public hearing would take place before an independent hearing officer designated by the Minister Responsible for The Police Act, 1990.
“We know that public trust is rooted in transparency, and we are committed to sharing the conclusion of the ongoing investigations and appeal processes when they are concluded,” McBride said on Wednesday.
‘PUBLIC TRUST AND WELL-BEING’ PRIORITIES
Saskatoon Police Service on Wednesday acknowledged media reports of “displays of support for suspended members and their impact on other employees. The reports also raised questions regarding the integrity of undercover operations.”
McBride said he recognized concern over the incident “and subsequent investigations raised in our service and in the community.
“The public trust and well-being of all our members continue to be our priorities,” McBride added. “A service is challenged when even one of its members strays from that commitment but I am dedicated to lead an organization that upholds the code of ethics we have all sworn to.”
According to SPS this week, action has been taken against three other officers — all in unrelated incidents — since November 2024.
SPS confirmed a 22-year sergeant was suspended last November and dismissed in March of this year.
In connection with a pair of other incidents, one in January and one in February, two other SPS members remain suspended while investigations continue.
