Charges stayed against 3 Calgary police officers accused of kidnapping

Nine months after they were charged with kidnapping, three Calgary police officers have had their charges stayed.

In a news release issued Thursday night, the Calgary Police Service (CPS) said it was notified of the development earlier in the day.

“Although the charges were recommended at the time by the Crown, they have further reviewed the file and all related criminal charges have now been stayed,” the CPS said in the news release.

Sgt. Mark Schwartz, Det. Paul Rubner and Det. Reagan Hossack were charged with kidnapping in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred in January 2010. Schwartz and Rubner were also charged with assault.

READ MORE: Former Calgary police officer questions praise for trio charged with kidnapping

Watch below: In August 2017, Heather Yourex-West filed this report about three Calgary police officers facing kidnapping charges related to an incident that allegedly took place in 2010.

1:55 3 Calgary police officers charged with kidnapping, 2 with assault

The charges faced by the trio of veteran officers stemmed from an alleged interaction with a man during an investigation into the exploitation of an at-risk youth. At the time the charges were laid, police said the person who was allegedly assaulted had since died. They said he never filed a complaint against the officers involved in the case.

When charges were laid in 2017, Calgary police said the vice unit officers were looking for a youth to apprehend under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act. Police identified a man they believed had information about the whereabouts of the person or people who may be exploiting the youth.

READ MORE: Calgary police say kidnapping, assault charges laid against 3 officers are ‘just allegations’

“It is alleged that the officers brought a man into an unmarked police vehicle and drove him around for approximately 20 minutes,” the CPS said in a statement at the time. “During this time, it is alleged an assault took place.”

Police said the man was then brought back to where police found him. They said he died several months later but said the death was not believed to be suspicious or related to the interaction with police.

On Thursday, the CPS said all three members remain on duty.

— With files from Erika Tucker and John Himpe