Nova Scotia’s police watchdog has cleared two officers of wrongdoing following an investigation into allegations the pair had conspired to kill a local offender and that one officer later tried to blackmail the other.
The Serious Incident Response Team released a report Friday saying it received a referral from the Bridgewater Police Service in May regarding two members of the Annapolis Royal Police Service.
The report says the independent agency’s subsequent investigation began by focusing on a conversation between the two officers in May of last year, which dealt with harming a person known to police.
The report refers to the officers as Subject Officer 1 (SO1) and Subject Officer 2 (SO2). And it says there was evidence indicating the conversation in question took place in SO1’s home.
The report says SO1 declined to speak to the agency or submit any notes or reports, noting that subject officers are not required by law to do so. The agency confirmed that it heard from other witnesses who had spoken with SO1 about what happened.
One civilian witness told the agency that in May 2025, SO1 had been hospitalized and heavily sedated with medication.
Get daily National news
SO2 was interviewed by SIRT on two occasions. He told the agency that SO1 had said he wanted the offender “dealt with” using “black ops” or “old school justice.”
But SO2 said he didn’t have any intention of harming the offender. And he said he determined SO1 was not serious about conspiring to hurt anyone.
“The first- and second-hand accounts of SO1 and SO2 differ significantly as to who initiated the discussion,” says the report, written by SIRT Director Erin Nauss.
“SO2 acknowledged that he participated in the discussion …. He also stated he asked whether SO1 wanted the (offender) warned, roughed up, or to suffer broken bones, and requested the offender’s name and address.”
But the report says there was no indication that the officers took any steps to carry out a plan.
“The discussion alone does not establish a conspiracy,” the report says.
“Given SO2’s denial of any intention to harm the (offender), the conflicting accounts of the purpose and initiation of the meeting, and the absence of evidence of a subsequent joint plan … there are insufficient grounds to support a charge of conspiracy to commit murder against SO1 and SO2.”
The team also investigated an allegation that SO2 had threatened to release a recording of his conversation with SO1 unless SO1 complied with a request concerning a workplace matter, though no details were provided.
SO1 reported the alleged extortion attempt to another officer, who prepared the police occurrence report that prompted SIRT’s investigation, the report says.
“SO2 acknowledged that he became upset and swore at SO1 during a discussion about work scheduling,” the report says.
“However, there is insufficient evidence that he made any threat or accusation, used violence or threatened to release a recording of their May 2025 conversation …. On this basis, there is insufficient evidence for grounds to support a charge of extortion against SO2.”
The agency’s report says there were no reasonable grounds to believe that either officer had committed a criminal offence, thought its investigation revealed “concerning conduct” and issues involving personal conflicts.
These concerns were relayed to Nova Scotia’s justice minister, the report says.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.