Edmonton officers found guilty in homeless round-up

Two Edmonton police constables have been found guilty of charges under the Police Act for picking up a group of intoxicated homeless people downtown, driving them around in a hot van, then dropping them off in a parking lot in the city's north end.

Const. Patrick Hannas and Const. Lael Sauter were both convicted Friday on one count each of discreditable conduct and two counts each of insubordination.

A third officer, Const. Graham Blackburn, was found not guilty.

The presiding officer, Paul Manuel, characterized Blackburn as a "ride-along" who didn't play a role in transporting and releasing the individuals on May 20, 2005.

The officers had been accused of transporting a group of aboriginal, intoxicated or homeless people from Old Strathcona to north Edmonton, failing to take notes about the incident and failing to leave the passengers "at a residence or with a responsible person" as per police policy at the time.