Veteran Cop Faces Criminal Charges (Gun buyback corruption)
Sun Media ^ | August 17, 2007 | NADIA MOHARIB, SUN MEDIA

August 17, 2007

Veteran cop faces criminal charges

By NADIA MOHARIB, SUN MEDIA

Five criminal charges have been laid against a veteran city cop after allegations of trying to make deals for several guns during the 2006 Gun Amnesty Program.

The charges laid yesterday against Const. Dean Pankewicz follow a nearly seven-month criminal investigation.

The 18-year veteran faces charges of trafficking in firearms, possession of a firearm for the purpose of trafficking, breach of trust by a public officer, unauthorized possession of a firearm and hazardous storage of a firearm.

The officer, part of the unit responsible for taking guns being turned in by citizens under the program, allegedly took guns from civilians and had plans to sell them to a gun dealer in Warburg, about 80 km southwest of Edmonton.

Professional standards Insp. Ken Marchant said the successful program saw citizens turn in about 1,200 firearms for destruction and cops have since "accounted for every gun turned over to the gun amnesty program."

Cops seized 41 guns during a search warrant at Pankewicz's home and 10 at a gun shop in Warburg.

Marchant said the bulk of them were long firearms -- mostly used for hunting -- as well as some handguns.

He said the allegations are the officer went, both on-duty and off-duty, to "make deals for firearms" with people turning in the guns.

(Excerpt) Read more at calsun.canoe.ca ...

[MG Note:  Why be surprised?  According to all the gun-haters, only the police and military should have evil, nasty guns.  (Of course, the bad guys always will have them because they ignore laws and consider guns just another tool in their criminal businesses.  Duh-h-h-h-h.)]