A police officer with 14 years of service pleaded guilty to breach of trust and careless storage of a firearm.
The Crown sought 12 months imprisonment plus probation, emphasizing denunciation and deterrence.
The court found exceptional mitigating circumstances including severe alcohol addiction, emotional abuse by a partner, unresolved grief from a parent's death, and a sleep disorder.
The officer had undergone significant rehabilitation post-arrest, including residential treatment, weekly AA attendance, and psychotherapy.
Despite the serious nature of breaching a position of trust, the court imposed a suspended sentence with three years probation and 150 hours community service, recognizing that the officer's conduct was entirely out of character and driven by addiction rather than corruption or venality.
