Former Edmonton homicide detective charged with breach of trust

Wallis Snowdon · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 04, 2025 10:52 AM EDT | Last Updated: 19 minutes ago

A erstwhile Edmonton constabulary serviceman has been charged with breach of spot for allegedly sharing confidential investigative accusation with the media without authorization. 

Retired Staff Sgt. Bill Clark was charged Tuesday, Edmonton Police Service said successful a quality release.

Police provided fewer details astir the allegations, but said the probe was conducted by the Edmonton Police Service Professional Standards Branch with oversight from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the province's constabulary watchdog. 

The probe was reviewed by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services successful Calgary to find if transgression charges were warranted.

Prosecutors recommended the erstwhile serviceman beryllium charged with 1 number of breach of trust, constabulary said. 

Police declined to supply further details connected the investigation as the lawsuit is presently earlier the court.

CBC News reached Clark Wednesday but helium declined to remark connected the complaint oregon the investigation. 

Clark served 44 years with Edmonton constabulary earlier his status successful May 2024.

He was a high-profile and vocal subordinate of the EPS and his tenure with the work was not without controversy. 

In 2011, his remarks astir a homicide astatine engaged nightclub triggered a ailment from the victim's widow, who suggested helium had unfairly labelled Edmonton's Somali assemblage arsenic unwilling to co-operate with police.

Following the shooting, Clark had expressed his vexation that lone 1 witnesser gave constabulary a statement of a fishy adjacent though the nine was afloat of people. 

In 2018, helium faced a ceremonial ailment for comments helium made astir criminals and the decease punishment during a impermanent lecture astatine the University of Alberta. A radical of instrumentality students aboriginal stepped guardant to support his remarks. He was yet docked 10 hour's pay. 

A longtime homicide detective, helium was known for his candid attack to media interviews. He served arsenic detective connected a drawstring of high-profile execution and missing persons cases.

Before helium retired successful 2024, helium was suspended without pay, pending the result of the nonrecreational standards subdivision investigation. 

Breach of spot is an indictable offence and tin effect successful a condemnation of up to 14 years.