An officer with the Guelph Police Service has received a demotion in response to a criminal charge of impaired driving that she pleaded guilty to earlier this year.
On Monday, const. Margaret Pickard, an officer with three years experience with the service, faced a professional conduct hearing on two counts of discreditable conduct contrary to the Police Services Act.
The hearing against the 33-year-old officer was conducted by telephone.
At the beginning of the hearing, service prosecutor Judith Stoffman said she would be proceeding with only one count of discreditable conduct against the officer.
In the agreed statement of facts, Pickard was facing an impaired driving charge in response to a Nov. 28 R.I.D.E. stop in Fergus conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police.
At 11 p.m. on that date, a vehicle being driven by Pickard approached a R.I.D.E. stop at the corner of St. Andrew Street West and Beatty Line. While speaking with Pickard, officers detected an odour of alcohol and she admitted to consuming alcohol that evening.
OPP officers conducted a roadside test, which Pickard failed.
Pickard was then taken to the Fergus OPP detachment for further testing. An hour and 50 minutes after first being stopped, Pickard registered a reading of 130 mg in 100 ml of blood — more than one-and-a-half times the legal limit.
Pickard was charged, her license was immediately suspended for 90 days and her vehicle impounded for seven days.
Upon returning to work, Pickard was assigned to administrative duties.
On Feb. 25, Pickard pleaded guilty to the impaired driving charge and was fined $1,500 and a 12-month driving prohibition.
On Monday, Pickard pleaded guilty to the single count of discreditable conduct during the professional conduct hearing. With a guilty finding she was facing a possibility of demotion or dismissal from the service.
Pickard’s guilty plea and her cooperation throughout the conduct hearing investigation were listed as mitigating factors supporting a joint penalty submission of a demotion from 1st Class constable to 2nd Class constable for one year.
Stoffman noted there was no injury or property damage as a result of the offence and that Pickard pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to both the criminal charge and the professional conduct charge.
Stoffman also noted that impaired driving is considered to be a serious crime and society has little tolerance for this type of misconduct.
“Police officers have a responsibility to enforce the law and the public holds police officers to a higher standard than ordinary citizens,” said Stoffman. “The Guelph Police Service works diligently to reduce impaired driving, which is one of its main goals.”
Hearing officer superintendent Chris Goss of the Waterloo Region Police Service agreed with the joint penalty submission, imposing a one-year demotion to Pickard.
“It’s clear to me that const. Pickard understands the impact of what she has done and the impacts of her service to her community, her profession and her family,” said Goss. “Impaired driving is a serious crime, it’s a leading cause of death and injury on our roads and it significantly impacts the safety of our communities. Police services work diligently to address impaired driving and the legitimacy of the police in this effort is called into question when an officer engages in that very behaviour.”
“Your conduct in the matter is disappointing, to say the least, and I sincerely hope it’s a hard lesson that has been well learned and that you continue on what has been described to this tribunal as a stellar career path,” said Goss.
