Scant details on Calgary cop arrested for indecency
CPS news release reflects a total lack of transparency
The Calgary Police Service (CPS) announced on July 21 it had arrested one of its own officers for an unspecified “indecent act” while they were off duty.
All we know at this point is 54-year-old Daryn Emmett, who has been a cop for 12 years, was arrested the day before the cops’ news release, “and has been placed on an administrative leave pending further investigation.” In case you’re wondering what administrative leave entails, the release says any “internal discipline” will have to occur depending on the results of a criminal trial.
“Information about this incident is being released in the interests of public transparency,” the CPS said while patting itself on the back.
Contrast this bare-bones news release with the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) announcement in October 2020 that it had arrested officer Chance Franklin for sexual assault, for which Franklin was found not guilty in March this year:
On October 11, 2020 the MHPS responded to a report of a sexual assault that had occurred at a local licensed establishment. Upon arrival at the scene it was determined that the accused was an off duty MHPS officer. As a result, the Alberta Justice and Solicitor General’s Director of Law Enforcement was notified as required by Section 46.1 of the Police Act. The Director of Law Enforcement directed that the MHPS continue with the investigation of the incident. Upon conclusion of the investigation, the file was forwarded to Edmonton for an independent review by a member of the Crown Prosecution Service who determined that the legal test for proceeding with the prosecution of the charge was met.
On October 23, 2020, Cst. Chance Franklin was charged with one count of sexual assault. Cst. Franklin is a 12-year member of the MHPS. He was immediately placed on administrative duties while the investigation was conducted and has since been relieved from duty without pay.
Unlike the CPS release, MHPS identified when it was notified of the complaint against their officer, when the officer was charged, what the specific charge against their officer was and the process it went through to lay the charge.
The contrast between Franklin being placed on administrative duty while being investigated and then suspended without pay once the charges were laid, and Emmett being placed on administrative duty after being charged with a crime, is also noteworthy.
The MHPS, as I’ve previously written during my time as the crime reporter at the Medicine Hat News, is no beacon of transparency, and undoubtedly suffers from the same issues of systemic racism and misogyny as every other police force.
All this goes to show just how bad the CPS is at transparency.
‘scant’ details…you, dear Jeremy, are brilliant!
‘scant’ details…you, dear Jeremy, are brilliant!