Wednesday, December 5, 2012
OFFICER ROBSON CONVICTED OF THEFT
I truly don't see it as much to be proud of by either the Waterloo Regional Police or the Courts quite frankly. It was entrapment plain and simple and yes some people think entrapment is O.K.. I'm not one of them; however Judge LeRoy concluded the sting "did not violate society's standards of decency and fair play.". I believe she is wrong and if she's not then I suggest society's standards are .
Sgt. Robert Gibson suggested that the sting was the only probable way to determine whether Officer Robson was an upstanding officer or not. I suggest that that is complete bullshit. If you have a need to get him off the force then do it by means of his marijuana use, plain and simple. Setting him up for a criminal charge of theft was beyond the pale. Try that same stunt with one hundred people on the police force and I suspect you could thin your ranks rather dramatically. Hell try the same entrapment stunt with senior management and I'll bet you could cut your budget dramatically and quickly. Constable Robson was targeted and entrapped, bottom line. I repeat if you have to fire him for marijuana use then do the work, get the marijuana possession conviction and be done with it. This was morally and ethically reprehensible. Meanwhile where the hell is the union in all of this? Their silence seems to be out of place. Hell the teachers' unions even go to bat for child molesters so what is the matter with the police union? Are they in bed with senior management? Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys the story titled "Judge convicts police officer in marijuana sting case".
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Three officers were named as "smoking dope like fiends" but only one was put to an 'integrity test". The reason given by Sgt Gibson was that Constable Robson was observed, by a Sgt, receiving a sandwich from an individual who worked at a bar that was allegedly investigated for drug trafficking 3 years prior to the sting. She was never interviewed and no charges were ever laid. The allegation came from someone being investigated for selling guns, in other words, an untrustworthy source. Robson's only mistake was coaching a basebal team that the woman played on yet that was the trigger that led to the sting. The other problem with Gibson's "logic" was that the sgt who witnessed the sandwich exchange WAS NOT IN THE STATION THAT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! That never came out in court.
ReplyDeleteJudge LeRoy's decision was simply passing on the responsibility of telling WRPS that they conducted an illegal sting on to a higher court. While explaining her decision she completely ignored a significant amount of evidence and testimony. A rookie judge did not have the balls to possibly impact her career by making a decision that would have told all police forces that they can't set up an "integrity test" based on one allegation supported by a three year old, unproven, accusation by a gun runner.
Also stating that the WRPS offered help made me wonder if she had actually been in the courtroom when she heard that they 'threw' a pamphlet for Employee Assistance at Robson that landed on the floor while he begged for support in tears. The offer of help came with a complete lack of support.
This was personal and approved by a cowardly judge.
What's left is a broken man, deeply in debt, deeply in need of therapy. How is the fact that he was grievously injured on the job ignored by his employer and the court?
The family will now try to get him into extensive PTSD therapy at Homewood, again, as quickly as possible as we fear for his mental health and personal safety.
He made a mistake, he has always been remorseful and expected to be punished, but not like this.
Please pray for my son.
Thank you Mr. Robson for your comment and further information. I still have two questions namely where is the union in all this and will the theft conviction/entrapment be appealed to a higher court?
ReplyDeleteThe union has been 'missing in action' throughout all of this. Names or positions that I wish I could even name, stated right from the start "there are 2 people we hate, thieves and drug users" therefore...they don't care. Its unfortunate because Andrew is an amazing man, made a mistake and is paying the ultimate price, of a life long illness that the 'police culture' STILL turn their backs on. I wish Andrew and his family all the best. He will get through this battle. He has support and love from everyone that ever knew how good of a guy he is.
ReplyDeleteShorttly before the "integrity test" the union elected a new president. He told Andrew that he had not intended to start his new position dealing with something this big. Shortly after that Andrew received a voicemail from the union on a Saturday morning (the message had been left very late on Friday night) that the union would not be supportinmg him, with no explanation. They didn't even have the balls to speak directly with him.
ReplyDeleteWhen questioned by the press as to why they weren't helping him after the arrest they were quoted as stating that they had morals. In other words they are denying support based on an individual's personal prejudices and politics.
It is likely that there will be an appeal. Judge LeRoy knew this and we feel that is why she handed down the decision that she did. She simply passed on the responsibility to a higher court. Unfortunately, money may be the deciding issue. His legal fees are close to 6 figures and there are simply no more options.
Hopefully we will be able to work something out with the lawyers.
His medical issues need to be brought forward in more detail. A pshcholgist, who treated him at Homewood, is a specialist in the relationship between PTSD and substance abuse. It is his belief that PTSD does not exist without substance abuse. He charges $5000 to appear in court but has offered to speak on Andrew's behalf for free as he is disgusted by what he believes is a gross abuse of his human rights.
Andrew is also concerned that the more he fights back the more he may be perceived, by WRPS and the courts, as not being remorseful which could not be further from the truth.
For now, all we are worried about is his mental health, as I stated to CTV after the verdict. His family doctor has sent a priority request to Homewood to accept him into another 3 month, in-house, PTSD program asap. Now we wait and pray.
I would like to thank all of the front line officers, as well as the court room personnel, who have quietly shown their support for him. He has received numerous calls from fellow officers in the past week offering their thoughts and prayers. I personally witnessed a female officer, we bumped into in the halls of the courthouse, who broke into tears, hugged him, and told him he was "the bravest man in the WRPS".
I also want to thank you, Alan, for allowing me to speak up through your site.
You're very welcome and thank you for your further information in regards to the union. Decades ago I saw first hand some nasty union (& management) behaviour at the City of Waterloo (public works). I was VERY disappointed in the union's discriminatory behaviour. My father who was in the union, used to refer to them as "necessary evils". Interesting in hindsight.
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