14-05-2025
Edmonton police sergeant given reprimand for off-duty impaired driving; fifth such disciplinary case since 2023
An Edmonton Police Service sergeant has been given a reprimand after admitting to drunk driving, with the hearing officer taking note of a 'significant number of similar cases within the service.'
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Sgt. A.B. — so identified because police do not reveal the names of officers given reprimands — admitted to a single count of discreditable conduct under the Police Act on April 16.
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According to a disciplinary decision released Wednesday, the 20-year EPS veteran was pulled over by Beaumont RCMP just before midnight July 29, 2023, while off-duty and behind the wheel of his personal vehicle. A.B. had been driving 20 km/h over the speed limit near Range Road 241 and Highway 625 and blew a 'fail' on a breathalyzer.
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Fred Kamins, the retired RCMP superintendent who heard the case, accepted a joint submission from lawyers for the chief of police and Sgt. A.B. The two sides recommended a formal reprimand, which will stay on A.B.'s file for five years.
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While he agreed to the proposed punishment, Kamins said it was 'on the lighter side' of penalties he might usually impose, but credited the officer for his 'co-operation, early pleas and acceptance of discipline.'
Sgt. A.B.'s case is not the first impaired driving matter to come before Kamins in recent years.
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Including Sgt. A.B., five officers have been found guilty of unprofessional conduct in the past year-and-a-half for driving under the influence, for incidents that occurred between 2021 and 2023. Three decisions were released in December 2023 — one resulting in an unpaid suspension and two reprimands, including in a case that led to criminal charges — while a fourth officer was handed a reprimand in May 2024.
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Kamins said the number of recent cases 'suggests the need for general deterrence' of other officers.
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In a statement, EPS spokesperson Carolin Maran said the service 'takes impaired driving seriously' regardless of whether it involves a member of the public or an employee.
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'While even one incident is too many, this is not indicative of an ongoing trend,' she said, noting the time period over which the incidents took place.
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A.B. was charged under section 88.1 of the Traffic Safety Act and given an immediate 90-day licence suspension, followed by a year-long suspension with the option of participating in the ignition interlock program. He was also ordered to take a 'planning ahead' course and pay a $1,000 fine.
