Calgary

Alberta RCMP officer previously charged with assault now accused of stealing TV, wallet from evidence room

A Red Deer RCMP officer is accused of stealing a television and wallet which had been seized as exhibits by police at the Blackfalds detachment, court documents reveal.

Cpl. Brandon William Smith, 44, charged with theft under $5,000 and possession of stolen property

A police building with flags and an RCMP sign out front.
Cpl. Brandon Smith, 44, is accused of stealing exhibits from the Blackfalds RCMP detachment. (Google Street View)

STORY UPDATE JULY 23, 2024: An official with the Crown says the charges against Brandon William Smith have been stayed. 


A Red Deer RCMP officer is accused of stealing a television and wallet which had been seized as exhibits by police at the Blackfalds detachment, court documents reveal.

Earlier this week, RCMP announced Cpl. Brandon William Smith, 44, was charged with two counts of theft under $5,000 and two counts of possession of stolen property.

Police also confirmed that last year, Smith faced three sets of assault charges for off-duty incidents in 2021.

In July 2022, Smith entered into a peace bond, meaning the charges were withdrawn but Smith admitted to breaching the peace.

A peace bond is also an admission the victim had reason to fear for their safety.

Smith was bound by court-ordered conditions for 12 months.

Suspended with pay

The officer is currently suspended with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation, according to RCMP.

The court documents show investigators believe Smith stole a television and wallet from the Blackfalds exhibits room some time between Nov. 18, 2017 and Feb. 3, 2019.

In May 2022, RCMP say they were "made aware of allegations" that Smith was in possession of seized exhibits.

On July 10, police executed a search warrant on Smith's home in Red Deer.

Officers seized items that were believed to have been stolen from the exhibit room at the Blackfalds detachment, according to RCMP.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meghan Grant

CBC Calgary crime reporter

Meghan Grant is a justice affairs reporter. She has been covering courts, crime and stories of police accountability in southern Alberta for more than a decade. Send Meghan a story tip at [email protected].