5 days ago
Veteran former Edmonton police detective charged with allegedly leaking confidential info to media
A year after he retired amid an internal investigation, a veteran Edmonton police detective has been charged criminally for allegedly leaking information to the press.
The Edmonton Police Service on Tuesday announced charges against former Staff Sgt. Bill Clark, claiming he shared 'unauthorized and confidential investigative information with news media.'
Clark, a 44-year member of the force until his retirement last year, was an outspoken homicide detective known for his frankness. He frequently appeared on the news to discuss policing and homicide investigations, occasionally courting controversy.
EPS offered few details about what information Clark is alleged to have released, but said the investigation was carried out by its internal professional standards branch with supervision from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), the province's police watchdog.
'It was subsequently reviewed by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services in Calgary to determine if criminal charges were warranted,' EPS said in a news release. 'Prosecutors recommended the former officer be charged with one count of breach of trust.'
'As the matter is currently before the courts, EPS is not able to provide further comment or information about this investigation.'
Police confirmed last spring that Clark had been suspended without pay pending an unspecified investigation — a rare disciplinary step which must be confirmed by the Edmonton Police Commission.
Clark joined the police force in 1979 and frequently talked about the satisfaction he got from solving homicides. His investigation of Mark Twitchell — the aspiring Edmonton filmmaker convicted of first-degree murder in a grisly, Dexter-inspired killing — led to appearances on U.S. TV networks.
He also attracted controversy for his comments about the willingness of some in Edmonton's Somali community to speak to police amid a string of killings, as well as for a 2018 lecture at the University of Alberta law school, which attracted a complaint for his comments about criminal suspects and defence lawyers. He was ultimately docked 10 hours pay.
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