RCMP Watch

Davene Jeffrey (Chronical Herald) - More than a year after a South Shore Mountie fired her service pistol nine times through a wall after a dispute with her ex-boyfriend, the force punished her by suspending her from work without pay for 10 days, an RCMP spokesman said.

The penalty handed to Const. Adree Zahara was confirmed Tuesday by Sgt. Mark Gallagher in a telephone interview.

An internal probe handed down its decision on Nov. 15, 2007, nine months after a Bridgewater provincial court judge gave Const. Zahara a conditional discharge, “She did it … willingly,” Sgt. Gallagher said, explaining that the officer had not fought the suspension.

Const. Zahara’s legal trouble began late in the afternoon of Oct. 16, 2006. She was exhausted because of her work schedule and angry following an argument with Const. Chuck Simm, court documents revealed.

The pair had been bickering over their then three-year-old son when Const. Zahara walked into her bedroom and fired her gun a number of times through an outside wall of her Chester Grant home.

Const. Simm, who was on duty at the time, broke down the door and took the gun away from her. When Const. Zahara calmed down, he gave her back the pistol, and she headed off to start her shift.

Const. Simm reported the incident the following day.

Const. Zahara was married to another officer when she began a relationship with Const. Simm. During their two-year relationship, which ended in late December 2005, Const. Zahara and Const. Simm had a son together.

Const. Zahara pleaded guilty to a charge of careless use of a firearm for which she received the conditional sentence and was placed on probation for a year.

She was also ordered to stay away from weapons for two years, except at work.

Since the shooting, Const. Zahara has had a desk job. At the time of her sentencing, last February, the officer was working for the RCMP’s violent crime linkage analysis system in Bedford. Sgt. Gallagher said he believes that she is still working for that unit.

Last year, two senior officers with the RCMP spoke with The Chronicle Herald under the condition of anonymity stating that they felt Const. Zahara had received preferential treatment both in the criminal case and the internal investigation and that her actions hurt the entire force’s reputation.

Sgt. Gallagher said it is likely that Const. Zahara will eventually go back to regular policing duties. However, before she does, she will probably have to under go some refresher training.

“Every time that someone is away from active duty,” they are required to undergo some training. In some cases, officers are paired up with other officers until they are comfortable, he said.