12/20/2005
Another Edmonton Police Officer Cleared in Camera ScandalCanadian police investigators clear another officer involved in an attempt to frame a journalist for criticizing photo radar.
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigation on Monday absolved Inspector Bryan Boulanger of wrong-doing for his role in issuing a November 21 press release containing false statements regarding the failed Overtime bar sting operation. The press release attempted to justify the operation that targeted newspaper columnist Kerry Diotte and police commission chairman Martin Ignasiak by stating that at least one of the men was "intoxicated." Eyewitness accounts confirm that neither was drunk.
Boulanger, according to the Edmonton Journal, blamed the news release on high-ranking police officials including former chief Fred Rayner. "I regret that the organizational process allowed them to perhaps put a couple clips on my shoulders and hang me out to dry in this matter," Boulanger said outside of the hearing.
On November 11 the RCMP moved to clear another key officer involved in the scandal. Sergeant Bill Newton admitted that he used a confidential police computer system to gather personal information about Diotte because the journalist had written columns critical of the force's use of photo radar. This information was later used to arrange the failed sting operation. Newton was given the lightest possible reprimand.