Two of the three officers found guilty of picking up nine homeless people and holding them against their will in the back of a van before dumping them in a north side neighbourhood will face suspension without pay.
An investigation began after nine homeless aboriginal people, including Chris Robillard and Diane Wood, were picked up by police on May 20, 2005.
The group said they were picked up on Whyte Avenue and held against their will for hours in a hot police van before officers dropped them off kilometres away in the north-end.
In a two-hour verbal decision on November 5th, the presiding officer found that two of the three officers should be penalized for their actions.
Const. Graham Blackburn is the Edmonton police officer who was cleared in this case. But Constables Lael Sauter and Patrick Hannas will face punishment for discreditable conduct and insubordination.
On Monday, the presiding officer sentenced Hannas to a 50 hour suspension without pay and Sauter faces a 40 hour suspension without pay.
The officers never took proper notes of the incident and failed to drop the parties off at a safe residence, therefore, the presiding officer also ordered they must forfeit a combined 60 hours accrued through overtime.
The Edmonton Police Association says the officers have suffered greatly.
"They have suffered taunting vandalism to their personal property and they've suffered public humiliation," said Tony Simioni, president οf thе Edmonton Police Association.
Simioni says the officers meant no harm and have a good working relationship with the homeless.
"And there was no racism involved," he said.
The presiding officer recommended some of the hours forfeited from overtime, which adds up to be about $2,500, should be donated to an agency that helps the homeless.
Hannas already has a pair of convictions on his record relating to an incident back in 2006.
With files from Serena Mah
