The Calgary Police Service (CPS) says a nine-year member of the force is facing charges after a botched investigation into a potentially impaired driver in 2015.
Police said Wednesday the officer attended a call about a woman reportedly passed out in the driver’s seat of a car with the engine running on the night of Nov. 11, 2015.
The officer was the first on the scene. Police said he cancelled a request for breath technicians to attend, but didn’t specify who made that request.
Watch below: Calgary police detail relationship between officer charged and woman on scene
Police also said the officer asked that the dispatch code be changed to that of a call to a suspended driver, despite signs the woman was impaired. The officer then drove the woman home without completing an investigation, investigators said.
“The allegation in this particular case is that this officer deliberately was deceitful in re-coding the call as well as some of the other actions that took place,” Supt. Cliff O’Brien said.
O’Brien said the woman and officer knew each for a few months after meeting at a previous theft call. She was an employee at a store in the officer’s patrol area.
He wouldn’t give any further details on the nature of their relationship.
Watch below: CPS Supt. Cliff O’Brien says an officer charged in an on-duty incident deliberately attempted to be deceitful
A formal investigation into the incident was requested by the CPS Anti-Corruption Unit in November 2016. Once the investigation was complete, the police force consulted with the Edmonton Crown Prosecutor’s Office which recommended charges be laid.
Mark McCullough, 44, was arrested on Wednesday and faces charges of breach of trust and obstruction of justice.
He is currently suspended with pay on an unrelated, off-duty incident that is criminal.
“Due to the investigation or several factors in the investigation… including trying to protect the identity of the victim… we certainly didn’t name the officer at that time,” O’Brien said. “It’s before the courts, so I won’t get into those details.”
McCullough’s lawyer, Cory Wilson told Global News that suspension relates to three charges of domestic assault stemming from 2016. It’s alleged the first assault took place on Nov. 11, 2016 and the others on Nov. 20.
Wilson said McCullough’s bail conditions include not possessing or consuming alcohol, having no contact with the victim and he’s prohibited from owning weapons, firearms and explosives.
As a result of that investigation, the details of the 2015 impaired driving call came to light, O’Brien said.
Watch below: CPS Supt. Cliff O’Brien calls charges against a member disappointing
O’Brien said this kind of behaviour crosses the line of officer discretion, which officers use every day when responding to calls.
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