A veteran Calgary police officer who was recently acquitted of drunk driving and assigned to desk duty has been suspended without pay.
Travis Dunkle, a former detective who has faced three criminal charges in as many years, is off the job until an internal review is completed into his “fitness for duty,” after allegedly failing a random urine test.
Police were saying little Thursday night about the suspension.
“There were some conditions he was facing internally and he didn’t abide by them,” said police duty inspector Vic Trickett, adding the chief is expected to release more information today.
Get breaking National news
The Calgary Police Association said the review will take about a month.
“Once that investigation is complete, (the police service) will assess his capabilities to possibly reintegrate or they will be seeking his termination,” said president John Dooks.
He wouldn’t confirm reports that one of the conditions of Dunkle’s employment is taking alcohol addiction therapy and to abstain from drinking.
“I won’t comment on the reasons for the suspension because it’s a medical issue,” he said.
The suspension, announced Thursday, is a rare move, according to Dooks.
“This is only the third officer to be suspended without pay in 30 years,” he said. “It’s a very uncommon sanction.”
In 2007, Dunkle, a 17-year CPS member, pleaded guilty to refusing to provide a breath sample following a crash near Didsbury in which he collided with a tractor-trailer.
A few months later, in August, RCMP charged Dunkle with false pretence after an incident with a taxi driver in Sylvan Lake, but the charge was later withdrawn.
He was demoted to a desk job after being acquitted of impaired driving in April. In that case, the trial judge ruled that the results of the breathalyzer tests were inadmissible.
dtetley@calgaryherald.com
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.