Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jun 2013
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Dianne Wood

OFFICER COULD LOSE JOB OVER POT

Local police constable pleads guilty to charges related to smoking
marijuana with other officers at parties

KITCHENER - A Waterloo Regional Police officer will likely face
demotion or dismissal for numerous incidents of smoking pot with other
officers and civilians at parties and buying marijuana from a drug
supplier.

Const. Jeremy Borda, 33, pleaded guilty Thursday to 11 charges of
discreditable conduct and one of insubordination under the Police
Services Act.

They arose largely from his participation in pot-smoking parties at
his own home, other officers' homes and a female officer's cottage
between 2008 and 2010.

Borda, an officer for six years, will likely be sentenced in the fall.
He was arrested in January 2011and charged with trafficking marijuana
in relation to an incident in 2009.

He pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana, receiving a conditional
discharge, a $100 fine and 50 hours of community service.

Borda is one in a group of officers in Cambridge who have faced
disciplinary charges for smoking pot off-duty.

The officers' illegal activity seems to have bothered at least one of
their fellow officers. At a trial of one of the seven officers, who
was charged with theft for stealing marijuana on the job, court heard
a fellow officer on his platoon asked to be transferred because
constables were "smoking dope like fiends" in Cambridge. According to
an agreed statement of facts at Thursday's hearing, Borda smoked
marijuana at parties with other officers and failed to stop the
criminal behaviour or report it to police.

In December 2008, one of the Cambridge platoon divisions had a
Christmas party, including dinner and drinks, at the Keg restaurant in
Waterloo.

Several officers left the party and proceeded to the Fox and Fiddle
pub in Waterloo for drinks. A constable produced a marijuana
cigarette, which Borda and other officers smoked in the officer's vehicle.

Borda asked another officer, Const. Andrew Robson, to get him
marijuana "once or twice," according to the statement of facts. Robson
would hand it over in the rear lot of the Cambridge police station.

Borda once gave another officer a marijuana cigarette, but did not
take any money for it.

In October 2010, Borda hosted a poker party at his home where he
provided and consumed pot in the presence of other officers and civilians.

Borda bought marijuana from a drug supplier, his former girlfriend,
from September 2009 to February 2010, the statement of facts said.

Evidence at Borda's plea in criminal court revealed he was a regular
marijuana user who was known to keep half a sandwich bag of the drug
in the freezer of his home.

Borda got some of his marijuana from a friend from his hometown of
Delhi. On Thursday, Borda was expected to challenge two new
disciplinary charges alleging that he consumed marijuana after his
arrest.

But the prosecutor said a witness set to testify against him had
developed medical problems that made her unable to testify. Those two
charges were withdrawn.

One of the misconduct charges Borda pleaded guilty to involved him
trying to persuade a traffic officer not to give his friend a traffic
ticket.

Const. Heather Kozuska stopped Brian Fox on June 7, 2006, in North
Dumfries Township.

He told her he was in the selection process for being hired as a
police officer. He mentioned he knew Borda.

Kozuska gave him a speeding ticket anyway. Soon after, Borda sent her
a message asking her to "do something" about the ticket.

Several months later at a party, Borda let her know he wasn't happy
she had charged his "buddy."

He said something to the effect that "We should look out for each
other" and "not charge other officers' friends," the statement of fact
said.

Borda's lawyer, Bernie Cummins, said he will ask for a demotion of
several ranks. He said Borda has taken steps toward rehabilitation and
deserves the chance to keep his job.

Meanwhile, Police Act charges against Borda's fellow officer Robson
have been delayed while he appeals his criminal conviction and
sentence for possession and theft of marijuana.

Robson was given a 60-day conditional sentence.

He had pleaded guilty to the charges, but then tried to have them
thrown out on the grounds that police illegally entrapped him - an
argument that was rejected.

Robson was caught during a drug sting set up by police in 2010 after
he came under suspicion for using marijuana while working as a patrol
officer in Cambridge.

He testified he abused alcohol and marijuana to cope after being
traumatized by several events at work that left him suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder.

Last year, four other Waterloo Regional Police officers pleaded guilty
to discreditable conduct charges under the Police Act for failing to
report drug usage by officers and citizens during poker parties held
at officers' homes.
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