Court hearing for Barrie police veteran facing harassment and extortion charges
Bruce Gardiner, a 19-year Barrie police veteran, faced another round of preliminary hearing proceedings Monday in Barrie amidst allegations of criminal harassment and extortion.
Gardiner, 52, a former NHL player who transitioned into a role as a police tactical unit sergeant, was charged in 2022 in relation to incidents purportedly occurring between 2016 and 2018 while off-duty. Barrie police confirmed the charges stem from alleged conduct directed towards another member of the service.
Court documents revealed Gardiner, who had preliminary hearing proceedings begin in early January, is alleged to have, without reasonable justification or excuse and with intent to obtain compliance, threatened to release sensitive photographs of the complainant.
Records indicate Gardiner faces similar charges in April 2009 involving allegations of criminal harassment and voyeurism after an investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). However, those charges were withdrawn a year later when Gardiner entered into a peace bond.
Now, 15 years later, Gardiner finds himself facing allegations for which he has been suspended again with pay.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Concurrently, Insp. Valarie Gates, a veteran of 26 years with Barrie police, faces her own tribunal under the Police Services Act, charged with discreditable conduct. The charge against Gates follows an investigation by the OPP Office of Professionalism, Respect, Inclusion, and Leadership.
While Gates has attended multiple hearings at the Barrie Courthouse during Gardiner's proceedings, the connection, if any, between the criminal charges against Gardiner and the disciplinary action against Gates remains unclear.
Publication bans preventing any evidence heard during the preliminary hearing and from identifying the alleged victim have been imposed.
The matter returns to court next week to set another date as the pretrial continues. The allegations against Gardiner have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Some birds may use 'mental time travel,' study finds
Real quick — what did you have for lunch yesterday? Were you with anyone? Where were you? Can you picture the scene? The ability to remember things that happened to you in the past, especially to go back and recall little incidental details, is a hallmark of what psychologists call episodic memory — and new research indicates that it’s an ability humans may share with birds called Eurasian jays.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
After more than 100 years, Newfoundland's unknown soldier returns home
An unknown Newfoundland soldier, who fought and died on the battlefields in northeastern France during the First World War, is back home this weekend for the first time in more than a hundred years.