The Chef Stella Diner was the location where former environment minister Shannon Phillips met with stakeholders involved in discussions on the future of the Castle region. (Photo courtesy of Global Lethbridge)

By Alex McCuaig

CHAT NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Lethbridge police officers temporarily demoted in connection with surveillance of NDP cabinet minister

Jul 13, 2020 | 4:45 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Two veteran Lethbridge police officers have been demoted over unauthorized surveillance of former Alberta environment minister Shannon Phillips and people she met with over a controversial government decision.

Sgt. Jason Carrier and Const. Keon Woronuk admitted to using their positions for personal and political reasons in connection with increasing protections in the Castle region in southwest Alberta. They have both been temporarily demoted following a disciplinary hearing decision issued on July 9, 2020 and obtained by CHAT News.

The surveillance was launched after a new provincial park was announced in the Castle region by the NDP government in January 2017. The changes included restricting unregulated off-road vehicle use of the environmentally-sensitive area. The move sparked a firestorm among those in the off-road vehicle community.

Both officers had a shared interest in the off-road vehicle use within the Castle region.

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Carrier was on-duty but on a meal break with two other officers when Phillips entered the Chef Stella Diner to meet informally with stakeholders on the Castle region changes during the morning of April 17, 2017.

Carrier texted Woronuk – who was acting sergeant on duty at the time – with a picture of the meeting and location. Woronuk attended the diner shortly thereafter.

In a conversation between the two uniformed officers as they left the diner after taking photos of the meeting, Woronuk said to Carrier that he, “would hate to see Phillips drive away from the restaurant and there was a reason to stop her,” according to the penalty decision.

In addition to taking photos, Woronuk was involved in setting up surveillance and subsequently following one of the stakeholders while running a police information check on them.

Woronuk found a nearby position of surveillance of the diner from his parked vehicle while Carrier stationed himself at a nearby parkade with a view of the diner, according to agreed facts entered at the hearing.

Carrier went back to the police station shortly after seeing Phillips leave the diner by foot.

Woronuk saw one of the stakeholders leave the diner in a vehicle and followed them, “to see if the driver committed a driving infraction.”

Woronuk lost sight of the targeted vehicle but conducted a search of the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database using licence plate data from the surveillance and sent a screenshot to Carrier and an unnamed third Lethbridge police officer.

“The intent of Const. (Keon) Woronuk to target an attendee of Minister Phillips’ meeting is truly troubling,” stated the hearing’s presiding officer Paul Manuel. “I cannot see any purpose for such an action.”

Woronuk subsequently posted photos of the meeting on a Facebook page under the name “Mike Corps” which included identifying the stakeholders and, “was accompanied by a long caption criticizing Minister Phillips and her NDP government.”

That action prompted a complaint to Calgary police by Phillips.

Calgary police investigated the matter and uncovered the unauthorized CPIC search and then passed the investigation on to Medicine Hat police resulting in Police Act charges being laid.

Woronuk admitted to five counts under the Police Service Regulation including two counts of corrupt practice and a single count each of deceit, discreditable conduct and insubordination.

The penalty will see the constable demoted from senior constable to first-class constable for two years.

Carrier admitted to discreditable conduct and neglect of duty and was demoted to senior constable from sergeant for one year.

Lethbridge police and city hall did not reply to requests for comment on the matter.

A spokesperson for Phillips said she would publicly comment soon but wants to review the revelations contained in the penalty decision first.

In a statement issued by counsel on behalf of now Const. Carrier, the officer reiterated the findings of the disciplinary hearing in that he was not involved in the surveillance of any individual and was not aware of the full nature of what had occurred until several weeks later.

“He cooperated fully during the investigation and discipline process,” read the statement in part. “He agreed to a demotion, which is the second most serious penalty under the Police Act. As he told the hearing officer, he ‘makes no excuses’ for his actions and he took full responsibility for what occurred under his watch when he learned what had happened. His actions are what the public expects of its police officers in terms of accountability.”

The statement noted the financial penalty which comes with the demotion. The penalty decision notes that to be in the range of $11,600 as well as implications to his pension amount for the 23-year police veteran.

The decision noted both cited officers had good service records and that both had been given citations for their work, including Woronuk who is a nearly 20-year veteran of the Lethbridge police.

The full decision is below