A lengthy investigation into a woman’s ex-common-law husband found he hired a retired Calgary police officer, who then hired active members of the Calgary Police Service to follow her and report her activity back to him.
In August 2014, a woman involved in a divorce battle came forward to police with concerns her ex-husband had hired a private investigator’s firm to follow her activities.
The owner of the private investigator’s firm is a retired officer, Stephen Walton, who served from 1978 to 2003.
The deputy police chief spoke Wednesday, expressing disappointment over the case and insisting there’s zero tolerance for this type of behaviour within law enforcement.
He said any serving member in a uniform will be feeling the impact.
“It’s a sense of betrayal,” Deputy Chief Ray Robitaille said. “Officers feel they uphold public trust. When that’s eroded, it feels personal.
“[Calgary police officers] go out there to do their very best, and that betrayal runs deep.”
Walton, 59, was charged Wednesday with criminal harassment, bribery of officers, improper storage of a firearm and perjury. His wife, Heather Naomi Walton, who was a civilian member of the Calgary Police Service until 2003 was also charged in the case.
Forty-seven-year-old Anthony Braile, a 21-year member of the service, was also charged but had already been dismissed on an unrelated matter. He remains relieved from duty without pay.
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Officers Bryan Morton, 32, and Bradford McNish, 58, are also charged in the investigation and were suspended with pay in August 2015.
It’s alleged the serving members charged in the case accessed internal police databases hundreds of times to follow, watch and harass the victim.
Kenneth Robert Carter, 65, is the victim’s ex-husband who allegedly hired the private investigation firm. He has been charged with criminal harassment and perjury.
All have since been released from custody and are set to appear in court Aug. 29.
Police said a Professional Standards Section investigation will “proceed upon the conclusion of the criminal process.”
With files from Global’s Jill Croteau
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