A police officer employed with the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service pleaded guilty to breach of trust contrary to section 122 of the Criminal Code.
The officer, who had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and developed an opioid addiction following traumatic incidents during his policing career, stole drugs from an evidence locker and siphoned prescription pills from a pharmacy investigation.
His criminal conduct resulted in eight active drug prosecutions being stayed.
The court rejected the defence submission for a conditional discharge and a suspended sentence, finding that while the officer's addiction and PTSD constituted exceptional mitigating circumstances, a jail sentence was warranted.
However, the court imposed a conditional sentence order to be served in the community rather than incarceration, recognizing the officer's rehabilitation efforts and the need to balance denunciation and deterrence with individualized sentencing principles.
