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Email lands officer in hot water

EDMONTON — A former national aboriginal chief is calling for the dismissal of an Edmonton police officer after he sent a controversial email

EDMONTON — A former national aboriginal chief is calling for the dismissal of an Edmonton police officer after he sent a controversial email.

Ovide Mercredi, former chief of the Assembly of First Nations, says whenever anyone in the police system advocates racism, it goes against the principles of policing.

Const. Scott Carter sent the email, The 10 principles of downtown policing, to several colleagues seven years ago.

One principle says “an aboriginal is just an Indian,” while another says the paddy wagon is “more than just transportation and should always be referred to as the mobile Native Friendship Centre.”

Carter has told the Law Enforcement Review Board hearing the email was “intended as satire to poke fun at ourselves” and said if it was taken out of context it could be interpreted as offensive.

Several officers who got the list testified they don’t even remember it.

Mercredi, who was in Edmonton on Tuesday attending a conference, says if he were the police chief, he would fire the constable immediately.

But the police association says due process is crucial.

Carter made an official apology to local aboriginal leaders in 2007. Two official warnings were also put into Carter’s file.

The board still has to determine if the warnings were sufficient enough punishment for the constable’s actions or if new sanctions must be added.

(CTV Edmonton)