0412 cop | Ottawa Citizen

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An Ottawa Police Service constable is facing discreditable conduct charges after pleading guilty to driving drunk in 2019.

Const. Umer Khan made a brief appearance on Thursday morning for a disciplinary hearing for the Police Service Act charges.

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Khan previously pleaded guilty to drunk driving in 2019, for which he was fined $1,000. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, but was granted a discharge.

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According to court proceedings, on June 23, 2018, Khan was driving drunk when the Sûreté du Québec tried to pull him over on Highway 5 in Gatineau at 2:15 p.m., when the off-duty officer was doing 123 km/h in a 70 km/h zone. But he kept driving, resulting in a chase across an interprovincial bridge to the University of Ottawa parking lot, where Khan was arrested at gunpoint.

His breathalyzer test registered twice the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration.

At the time, his lawyer argued the drunk driving fine was “grossly disproportionate” to the offence, because Khan struggled with PTSD.

“Const. Khan has devoted his professional life to the public, as both a police officer and a member of the NATO mission in Afghanistan, facing the trauma of near-death experiences at home and overseas. Khan accepts the court’s decision humbly and looks forward to a future of continued service to his community,” Solomon Friedman said at the time.

But Gatineau Justice Alexandra Marcil disagreed and said the officer posed a risk to society, and his reckless behaviour warranted a criminal record to enhance public safety. 

Khan’s disciplinary hearing was adjourned and will continue on May 6.

With files from Gary Dimmock

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