Police union VP ordered to take year of counselling

Calgary Police Association vicepresident Mike Baker will undergo domestic violence counselling as a condition of a peace bond he entered into to end his criminal prosecution.

Edmonton Crown prosecutor Mandy MacLeod withdrew a domestic assault charge Friday after Baker agreed to a 12-month order to keep the peace and undergo counselling.

The common-law peace bond is an acknowledgment that Baker “breached the peace” in the past, but was not guilty of criminal behaviour, defence lawyer Cory Wilson said outside court.

“There was a breach of the peace and that is what satisfied to common-law peace bond.”

Peace bonds can also be ordered under a provision of the Criminal Code, but that requires an ongoing fear by a complainant and that doesn’t exist here, Wilson explained.

Baker was charged with assault after police were called to a southeast residence on May 28.

The 20-year Calgary Police Service member was on leave from his position while he acted as vicepresident of the police union.

Baker’s peace bond is for 12 months and during that time he must report to probation as required and undergo assessment, counselling and treatment for psychological and psychiatric issues, domestic violence and parenting issues, provincial court Judge Gordon Krinke ordered.

Wilson said he was confident Baker would have been acquitted had the case gone to trial, but settled on a peace bond to avoid that process.

“Mr. Baker had not committed a criminal offence,” Wilson said. “We were very satisfied that had this matter gone to trial he would’ve been found not guilty.

“However, rather than go to the extent of going to trial and having to put his entire family through that we decided to resolve it very favourably today.”

The lawyer said Baker is relieved the ordeal is behind him but remains unhappy he was charged at all.

“He’s obviously upset that he was charged in the first place, he maintains his innocence, but he’s very happy to have his whole family be able to move forward from this whole incident,” Wilson said.

“He has to continue on with counselling for a period of time and he’s happy to do that because counselling can better all of us.

“It’s just to make sure that the proper tools are in place so that allegations like this don’t surface again.”

Wilson maintained if Baker didn’t have a badge, a charge would never have been laid.

“I reviewed the disclosure and there was no criminal offence. Had he not been a police officer he would not have been charged.”