Former officer testifies his ‘comfort level waned’ in surveillance case
A former police officer on Tuesday told court how his enthusiasm waned in helping fellow officers conduct surveillance on a Calgary woman, alleged activity that’s led to charges of corruption.
Shamus McLachlan, who knew accused Anthony Braile and Bradford McNish when all were Calgary Police Service members, said he was part of a surveillance team in 2012 quarterbacked by former officer Steve Walton.
He told court he was instructed to follow Akele Taylor around Calgary and was paid $1,000 by Walton for a single shift of the extracurricular activity in August 2012, just before leaving the force.
“I was told it involved a custody dispute and the nature of the file was to follow an ex to surveil her lifestyle,” said McLachlan, who is now a Kelowna private investigator.
“We were provided what was called a mic phone, which is essentially a cellphone with a walkietalkie effect.”
An email on the shift indicated Braile, Walton and his wife, Heather Walton, also participated.
But subsequent requests, which included writing a fake threatening letter to Taylor and the suggestion he try to purchase illegal drugs from her, led to second thoughts about his role in the effort.
“I realized the file was not going the way it was initially supposed to,” McLachlan told court, adding he didn’t follow through on either request.
“It had taken a different turn … my comfort level had waned.”
McLachlan testified he was told the person he was working for was someone with the initials K.C., but was given no further details.
Police allege wealthy Calgarian Ken Carter hired Walton, who recruited others to monitor Taylor.
Bradford McNish, Anthony Braile and Bryan Morton are charged with unlawfully using a police computer system and bribery.
Morton is also accused of breach of trust by a public officer and criminal harassment, while McNish is charged with the former offence and Braile — who was fired from the force over an unrelated incident — is charged with the latter.
McLachlan said he was also hired to fly to Regina in September 2012 to meet with Taylor’s mother to find out more information about the custody dispute.
When he met the woman, “I don’t think she was pleased to see me but she wasn’t surprised someone would attend her house, she wasn’t surprised at the length the client would go to investigate her daughter,” he said.
Carter, Walton and his wife, Heather Walton, are to stand trial in September.
The trial continues Wednesday.