Barrie officer charged!

Posted By IAN MCINROY
Posted 8 days ago


A Barrie police officer is facing criminal charges after an investigation by the OPP.

Const. Bruce Gardiner has been charged with one count of criminal harassment and one count of voyeurism, both Criminal Code offences.

The four-year member of the service has been suspended from duty with pay as a result of the charges.

Barrie police released news of the charges yesterday morning.

Chief Wayne Frechette said Gardiner has been charged and released on bail.

"I assume with conditions probably to stay away from whoever the victim is. I don't know who that is," he said.

"Anytime any of our people are charged, it is not a happy event. He is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."

Frechette said Gardiner is a familiar face in the downtown area.

"He was doing downtown foot patrol on dayshifts and he's probably known by a good many downtown residents and business owners. He's a personable and outgoing guy," the chief said.

OPP Const. Peter Leon said he could not comment on the case.

"The OPP is not in a position to speak directly to the media release as the matter is before the courts at this time," he said.


Under Section 162 of the Criminal Code, voyeurism is described as anyone who commits an offence who surreptitiously observes -- by mechanical or electronic means and makes a visual recording -- a person who is in circumstances where they have an expectation of privacy.

Anyone who commits voyeurism is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction

Under Section 264 of the Criminal Code, harassment is described as engaging in activity that causes other people to fear for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them or repeatedly following the other person from place to place or repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person.

Under the Criminal Code, anyone who commits harassment is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or an offence punishable on summary conviction.

The Barrie Examiner