Fired officer apologizes to chief in bid to regain job
While testifying on the second day of his disciplinary hearing, Colin Magee turned to his former boss and offered an apology.
“I would like to unreservedly apologize for the mistakes that I've made,” Magee said to Regina Police Service (RPS) Chief Evan Bray.
Magee, who was fired in August of 2020, is appealing his firing to the Saskatchewan Police Commission. It's being heard by an independent hearing officer, Regina lawyer Ronni Nordal.
Magee is seeking to be reinstated as a police officer, and promised Bray he would do better if he wins his appeal.
“I would like the opportunity to serve the public again and to make amends, and to the utmost of my
ability perform my role as a police officer again in service to the community, and I will work diligently to do the best that I can to remain in good standing for the remainder of my career,” said the former corporal, who served with the RPS for 18 years prior to his dismissal.
Magee was fired after facing assault charges three times in the past three years. One of those charges was later stayed, and one went to trial and resulted in a not-guilty verdict. In the third incident, Magee pleaded guilty to assaulting a 13-year-old boy in the RPS detention centre. He received a conditional discharge.
While testifying Monday, Bray said he fired Magee because he was unsuitable to be a police officer.
Bray also felt Magee was not taking responsibility for past events during a meeting in July of 2020 before he ultimately decided to fire him the next month.
While being questioned by his lawyer, Aaron Fox, Magee reflected on assaulting the boy in September of 2018.
“I behaved entirely inappropriately … I should never have put my hands on him and I was entirely wrong,” said Magee.
While cross-examining Bray, Fox also referenced an apology delivered by Magee when he pleaded guilty to assaulting the boy.
“In terms of accepting responsibility for what he did, there's almost no more public or pronounced way you could do that,” said Fox.
Fox asked Magee if he had thought about why he assaulted the boy. Magee said a number of personal problems had been weighing on him at the time, including the assault charge from 2017. His wife, diagnosed with a serious and rare illness that has the potential to be fatal, had applied for a stem-cell treatment but was rejected.
Fox also noted that Magee had been seeking help from a psychologist employed with the RPS starting in 2016.
Since his dismissal, Magee said he has been working on a farm outside the city, and is now earning a reduced income. He said he felt like the members of the RPS would accept him if he was to be reinstated.
Magee was also questioned about his interaction with a 42-year-old man in the RPS detention centre, which led to him pulling the man to the ground after he refused to drop a pen. Magee was acquitted of assault in that incident.
RPS legal counsel Katrina Swan asked Magee what efforts he took to de-escalate the situation. Magee said he tried to be direct with his instructions, but in hindsight there may have been other options available.
Earlier, Swan made reference to a performance review of Magee which indicated that he had to work on de-escalating techniques in situations where people don't respect his authority. The review also noted that Magee had “lost his cool” on occasions.
The hearing is scheduled to continue Wednesday morning.
I would like the opportunity to serve the public again and to make amends, and to the utmost of my ability perform my role as a police officer again.