No Plea Yet In Cop Witness Tampering Allegation
A city police constable facing criminal allegations of obstructing justice through witness tampering had his matter before the Medicine Hat Court of Justice Tuesday.
MHPS Const. Noel Darr, 56, is facing the charges in relation to allegations which occurred between February 2022 and November 2023, according to a sworn information filed with the court.
MHPS Const. Noel Darr
Defence counsel Clint Yarshenko indicated to the court he has received 1,000 pages of disclosure and required an adjournment until March 5.
No plea was entered to the indictable charge which carries a maximum 10-year penitentiary sentence.
The sworn information filed with the court and made out by an Edmonton police investigator alleges Darr attempted to obstruct justice by dissuading witnesses from giving evidence by, “threats, bribes or other corrupt means.”
Public statements by both Edmonton and Medicine Hat police released in July announcing the pending charges against Darr contradict the sworn information regarding the offence dates.
Both police services indicated the offence dates as occurring during a Police Service Regulation investigation and, “during that investigation the alleged criminal conduct occurred.” That investigation was launched in February 2023, a year after court documents peg the offence dates as beginning.
Media statements from both police services indicate the Police Service Regulation investigation was launched following a complaint filed by a former MHPS staff member.
On March 1, 2024, former MHPS Chief Mike Worden filed a nearly $2 million civil claim against the local police service, the City of Medicine Hat and fellow officers including Darr alleging a smear campaign against him.
That campaign included detailed allegations Worden was involved in inappropriate sexual relations which were spread to both provincial and local news reporters, according to the lawsuit.
A subsequent Medicine Hat Police Commission investigation into those allegations cleared Worden of any wrongdoing.
The civil case claims Worden resigned due to that campaign and neither the police service nor the municipal government adequately protected him.
Both that civil case and the criminal allegations are believed to be connected.