Law students back veteran detective over classroom talk

EDMONTON — A group of law students has come to the defence of a veteran homicide detective whose guest lecture in their class prompted an official complaint to Edmonton’s police chief.

On Wednesday, second-year University of Alberta law student Caitlin Dick said Staff Sgt. Bill Clark — the city’s best-known homicide detective — should be suspended over comments he made during a Nov. 1 class.

But 14 students — seven who gave their name and seven who chose to remain anonymous — said in a letter to Postmedia that they found the lecture “extremely valuable and informative.”

They wrote that Dick’s summary of what happened is largely accurate, but leaves out the context around Clark’s remarks.

Dick alleges Clark asked the class to raise their hands to show whether they wanted to be prosecutors or defence lawyers, who Clark called “the bad guys.” Dick also claims Clark made comments suggesting suspects are given different treatment depending on how much he likes their lawyer, saying he only allows lawyers to see their clients “if they’re respectful.”

Dick alleges Clark then told the students to come say hello if they bump into him in court, but then added with a laugh that if “you’re on the good side I’ll say hi, if you’re on the bad side I’ll say f--- you.”

Tom Engel, a defence lawyer, filed a complaint with the city’s acting police chief Kevin Brezinski Wednesday.

“This is not the first time that Staff Sgt. Clark has faced trouble and controversy regarding public statements he has made,” the letter of complaint reads. “He has been disciplined previously.”

The 14 students defending Clark said his statements about defence lawyers were clearly in jest, and that he explained biases and how they have negatively affected him during his 30-plus year career in law enforcement.

Brezinski has ordered an internal Professional Standards Branch investigation.