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RCMP Police Service Dog Jack and his handler Cpl. Tim Baulkham. (Photo contributed)
By Joe Fries
Canada’s first four-legged traffic cop may have played a key role in the dismantling of an alleged cocaine-trafficking ring right here in the Okanagan.
The B.C. Supreme Court trial of three people who police said played key roles in that ring resumed Wednesday after an extended weekend break. Thomas Fraser, Jason Herrick and Margo Safadi are faced with cocaine trafficking and conspiracy charges stemming from their alleged activities during the summer of 2006.
On Wednesday, court heard testimony from RCMP Cpl. Tim Baulkham, who made three seizures from the vehicles of Safadi and other associates, which turned up what is suspected to be about 3.25 kilograms of cocaine. The officer testified in a voir dire, meaning the judge will rule at a later date whether his evidence is admissible.
Baulkham said that during Project E-Pistachio he was stationed with the RCMP’s Southeast District Traffic Services unit, and spent most of his days watching for speeders. But it was his partner at the time that made Baulkham of particular use to his colleagues at the Southeast District Drug Section during Project E-Pistachio.
That partner was Jack, a police dog trained to sniff out drugs and the first such canine assigned to a traffic unit anywhere in Canada. His drug-detection abilities were in mind when the head of Project E-Pistachio ordered Baulkham to make the trio of busts, based on information investigators had obtained from wiretaps.
The first stop came on July 31, 2006, when the officer pulled over one of the alleged group’s associates and turned up four ounces of coke in a hockey bag in the back of the man’s vehicle. Baulkham told the driver he had been pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt.
On Aug. 11, 2006, the Mountie pulled over two men in a Toyota SUV on Sutherland Avenue and immediately arrested them. Jack was then called into service and indicated the presence of drugs in the vehicle. Baulkham looked inside and found a kilogram of cocaine in a bag in the back seat area.
Finally, on the morning of Aug. 16, 2006, Baulkham was told to drive out on the Coquihalla Connector and wait for Safadi and another female who would be in a red Camaro on its way to Kelowna from Vancouver. The stop happened near Merritt around 10 a.m. After a brief conversation about speeding, initiated by Safadi, Baulkham arrested her and then called out Jack. The dog quickly indicated drugs and his handler soon discovered two kilograms of cocaine in a bag in the car’s trunk.
Safadi was later charged with an additional count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
In cross-examination, Safadi’s lawyer, Michael Klein, focused on the pretences under which the officer pulled over the three vehicles, and whether or not he had grounds to deploy his dog.
Only in the first case did he see an infraction that would have warranted a stop, Baulkham admitted, while he said he had grounds for the other two stops based on information provided by his superiors – even though he didn’t disclose that to the search subjects.
As for Jack’s involvement, the officer said the canine “was with me whenever I worked” and routinely used the dog to check the exteriors of vehicles if he suspected the presence of drugs inside.
The trial is scheduled to last the rest of the week. At least another week of court time will be required.
Jack died in December 2008, according to a memorial on the RCMP website. The included biography claims Jack found drugs worth an estimated $42 million over the course of his career, with his biggest haul being 500 pounds of pot and almost 100 pounds of ecstasy.
joe@kelowna.com
250-575-4303
4 Responses to “Four-legged cop plays pivotal role in drug case”
Tags: Jason Herrick, Margo Safadi, Multimedia, psd jack, Thomas Fraser
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For some reason this trial I see going very sideways.
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Every time I see man’s best friend used to thwart the civil rights and liberties of the populace, I am reminded of those old pictures of the civil rights movement, and of course, the Gestapo. Especially with our own Horsemen functioning more ore less LIKE the Gestapo.
It should be noted that on Dec. 10, 1997, our marijuana laws were declared unconstitutional by Justice Patrick Sheppard, which was upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal, July 31, 2000 (Catzman, Charron, and Rosenberg). This decision was not appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and government has not re-enacted Criminal Code statute upon marijuana. Therefore marijuana – possession, cultivation, and sales – is legal, and has been for about ten years.
How nice that the police, courts, government (and media) routinely ignore these rulings. We have been haranguing MP’s and reporters about this for the past decade, but much like the NORAD tracking of Santa’s sleigh each year on the evening news for the kids’ enjoyment, everyone has been sort of just “going along” with the government’s assertions that pot is still illegal. And we continue to convict tens of thousands of people each year with law that is no more valid than the dead prohibitions on same-sex marriage or safe abortions.
How you liking your “just society” now, kids?
Russell Barth
Federally Licensed Medical Marijuana User
Drug Reform Analyst and Consultant
Educators for Sensible Drug Policy
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Great job…great dog…Jack! In your life, you served Canadian Society well.
I only wish more humans would be as diligent in their responsibilities as you were Jack …tipically many of us humans are stuck on our “rights” only and forget about our responsibilities…May you rest in peace Jack..Job well done.
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I hope our governments, both provincial and federal, continue to declare marajuana as an illegal substance. And the courts in this country should comply with the will of the people. Not the other way around. Marajuana has no real benefit to society except for maybe some medicinal uses. And that is questionable. For the most part anyone who I have met who smokes it on a continuous basis has more medical problems than they would have had they not used it to begin with. Anyway the real issue here is whether or not the RCMP should be using canines to sniff out suspected drug dealers. I say you damn right they should. In the cases concerning Const. Baulkham and Jack a considerable amount of cocaine was discovered. And from I gather possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking is still a crime in this country. Whatever means the police have to use to root out the criminals who would get sell their drugs to our children is fine with me. As far as I’m concerned anyone who gets caught peddling drugs in Canada should be thrown in jail forever. And if their drugs causes the death of a child that person should be executed. Also if any immigrant to this country is found guilty of drug trafficking they should be deported immediately. And I don’t care where they came from. Sound too harsh for you Mr. Barth. Too damn bad. I’m tired of my tax dollars being pissed away on programs to mollycoddle those who get hooked on drugs just so some drug peddler can get rich. And no I’m not a cop.
Dale Stuart
Red Deer,AB.
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