Nov 10 2004; CBC

Saskatoon police near 'mutiny' over Stonechild report

SASKATOON   - Faced with what some fear could become a mutiny in the ranks, the police chief in Saskatoon has once again put off a decision on firing two officers involved in the death of Neil Stonechild.

Russell Sabo was to make an announcement on Wednesday about the fates of constables Bradley Senger and Lawrence Hartwig. The announcement has now been postponed indefinitely.

The officers had 17-year-old Stonechild in their custody on the night he disappeared in Nov. 1990, an inquiry concluded last month. His frozen body was found days later on the outskirts of Saskatoon.

Senger and Hartwig have been suspended with pay since Justice David Wright's final report from the inquiry was released.

The report was a scathing indictment of the Saskatoon police force's original investigation into the death.

But rank and file police officers in the city reject any wrongdoing by Senger or Hartwig, or by other police officers involved in the investigation.

Earlier this month, 200 officers voted to support the suspended constables. They demonstrated outside police headquarters while Sabo met with the officers and their lawyers.

Police union president Stan Goertzen said the officers have not been convicted of anything in a court of law, yet they are being portrayed as guilty, and threatened with the loss of their jobs.

Union leaders have made veiled threats of some sorts of "action" if the two officers are fired.

"In essence, the police chief has a mutiny on his hands," said Colin Boyd, an ethics professor at the University of Saskatchewan.

"They're violating their oath of loyalty," said Boyd. "And their oath of loyalty means that they'll subordinate their personal interests for the common good."

Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell said Saskatoon police need to act quickly, but he rejects calls to disband the police force.

"I think some of the discussion made by some commentators about substituting a different police force is premature," said Quennell.

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