In a trial for possession of cocaine and fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, the Crown sought to qualify a police sergeant as an expert witness on the sale and distribution of drugs.
The accused opposed the qualification, arguing the officer lacked special knowledge and was biased because he belonged to the same drug enforcement unit as the investigating officers.
The court applied the Mohan and White Burgess frameworks, finding the officer had the requisite experience and understood his duty to be fair and impartial.
The court held that being from the same police service did not automatically disqualify the expert, and admitted the evidence.
