A former Edmonton police officer has been charged with breach of trust for allegedly sharing confidential investigative information with the media without authorization.
Retired Staff Sgt. Bill Clark was charged Tuesday, Edmonton Police Service said in a news release.
Police provided few details about the allegations, but said the investigation was conducted by the Edmonton Police Service Professional Standards Branch with oversight from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the province’s police watchdog.
The investigation was reviewed by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services in Calgary to determine if criminal charges were warranted.
Prosecutors recommended the former officer be charged with one count of breach of trust, police said.
Police declined to provide further details on the investigation as the case is currently before the court.
CBC News reached Clark Wednesday but he declined to comment on the charge or the investigation.
Clark served 44 years with Edmonton police before his retirement in May 2024.
He was a high-profile and vocal member of the EPS and his tenure with the service was not without controversy.
In 2011, his remarks about a homicide at busy nightclub triggered a complaint from the victim’s widow, who suggested he had unfairly labelled Edmonton’s Somali community as unwilling to co-operate with police.
Following the shooting, Clark had expressed his frustration that only one witness gave police a description of a suspect even though the club was full of people.
In 2018, he faced a formal complaint for comments he made about criminals and the death penalty during a guest lecture at the University of Alberta. A group of law students later stepped forward to defend his remarks. He was ultimately docked 10 hour’s pay.
A longtime homicide detective, he was known for his candid approach to media interviews. He served as detective on a string of high-profile murder and missing persons cases.
Before he retired in 2024, he was suspended without pay, pending the outcome of the professional standards branch investigation.
Breach of trust is an indictable offence and can result in a sentence of up to 14 years.
