Review for fired Sask. officer continues

A former Prince Albert, Sask. police officer who was fired after trying to prosecute an accused dangerous driver on his own is continuing his battle to get his job back.

A review hearing into the firing of Patrick Robin heard Monday that a retired police sergeant was so angry at Robin's dismissal, he began soliciting witnesses in the dangerous driving case to phone city officials and advocate on the former constable's behalf.

Started with a ticket

In 2009, then-constable Robin issued a ticket after onlookers complained a young man had been driving dangerously around a soccer field filled with children.

One of the youths had kicked the ball too hard and it sailed over a fence and bounced off the man's truck.

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

A few months later, Crown attorneys stayed the charge resulting from the ticket, to the outrage of Const. Robin.

He tried to prosecute the case himself – to the point of questioning witnesses in court – prior to prosecutors retaking control of, and dismissing the case again.

The constable lost his job as of March 16, 2010.

Robin, formerly a member of the RCMP, had been with the Prince Albert police service since Oct. 2006.

Retired officer tried to help

After his dismissal, Robin called up retired Sgt. Ian Reiman who told the review board he was angry at what had happened to his former colleague.

Reiman admitted to telephoning witnesses in the driving case, and asking them to call Prince Albert's mayor to complain about the firing. In prior testimony, witnesses said the calls were anonymous.

Reiman said Monday he believes there was a conspiracy within the police department to see the ticket dropped.

Anne Wallace, the provincially-appointed adjudicator hearing Robin's dismissal review has not made a decision of whether Reiman's testimony will be considered in her ruling.