Officer fired after trying to prosecute case

A former police officer from Prince Albert, Sask., is fighting to get his job back, contending he did no wrong trying to prosecute a Criminal Code violation that a Crown prosecutor intended to drop.

Patrick Robin is before the Saskatchewan Police Commission, following appeal procedures for dismissed members of municipal police forces.

On Wednesday, the commission heard what happened to prompt Robin's dismissal.

In June 2009, when Robin was a constable, he investigated an altercation involving a Prince Albert driver.

The man was driving his truck on a busy street and passed some youngsters playing soccer in a field. One of the youths kicked the ball too hard and it sailed over a fence and bounced off the man's truck.

The man allegedly was so upset he drove aggressively around the ball players, nearly striking an elderly man with his truck before driving away.

Robin charged the man with dangerous driving, but shortly after the matter entered the court system, the Crown prosecutor wanted to drop it.

Robin decided he would take up the prosecution. In that role, he arranged for witnesses to appear at the trial, and on the trial date in January 2010, questioned them in court.

The case was adjourned for a few days before the presentation of defence evidence. During that time, the Crown prosecutor took the case back and, when it came up in court again, promptly withdrew the charge.

Robin's superiors in the police department suspended him when they learned what he had done, saying he had overstepped his duties.

Anonymous calls to witnesses

The police commission learned that, after the suspension, witnesses in the dangerous-driving case claimed they received anonymous phone calls at home, suggesting they should speak out.

The witnesses said they were told of Robin's suspension and were encouraged to urge the mayor and police chief to end it.

It was after the calls came to light that Robin was dismissed. It was not clear Wednesday if the Prince Albert police department had any evidence to suggest Robin was behind the anonymous phone calls.

His lawyer, Terry Zakreski, told CBC News the police department should not have fired Robin. He was merely acting in the best interests of justice and no harm was caused, Zakreski said.

The hearing is to continue Thursday. The commission has set aside up to five days to hear his case.