Crown recommends more charges be tossed in cases investigated by former Amherst cop

The fallout continues for police in Amherst, N.S., where questions about a former constable's job qualifications have led to some charges being dropped in cases he was involved with.

The officer in question has been identified in court documents as Mark Rushton, who worked for Amherst police for about a year. He quit just as the force launched an internal investigation. Nova Scotia's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) is also doing an extensive review of his cases.

That review has looked at 97 cases so far. Of those, prosecutors are recommending nine charges affecting seven people be dropped.

Those include two cases in which PPS already dropped charges. One involved drugs and weapons charges against a 47-year-old Amherst woman. The other case involved a 34-year-old Amherst man accused of weapons offences. 

In a statement, PPS said just because Rushton was involved in a file does not automatically mean the case will be dropped.

"Each case will be thoroughly analyzed on its own merits and based on the available evidence," the statement reads in part.

"We are applying the same standard of review that we use in all cases to determine whether there is a realistic prospect of conviction and whether the prosecution is in the public interest."

SIRT will not investigate

Nova Scotia's Serious Incident Response Team said in an email to CBC News that it reviewed the matter and "it does not meet our mandate to be investigated."

The Amherst Police Commission, the civilian oversight body for police in the town, met last week, just days after the police issued a statement on Rushton. Commission chair Paul Calder said the matter was discussed in camera because it is a personnel issue. He said he cannot talk about those discussions.

In the meantime, Amherst is advertising for a new police constable. The qualifications include that the candidate be a graduate of a recognized police academy and pass a criminal record and security check.

Calder said applicants are always carefully screened, but he said after this incident, they will be under even closer scrutiny. The competition closes Wednesday.

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