CITY COP 'SHAMED' SERVICE: JUDGE

Barrie Constable Guilty Of Mischief; Work Led To Drug Addiction

A Barrie cop who got hooked on cocaine while policing the city's
seedy underworld, pled guilty to public mischief yesterday.

He also has agreed to resign from the police department.

Const. Rodney Hackett, 32, was given a conditional discharge and two
years probation, which means he will have no criminal record at the
end of two years.

He also must talk to students about the perils of drugs.

Court heard the charges stem from Dec. 3, 2002 when Hackett, who was
"high," borrowed a pickup truck from another police officer, then
smashed it into a hydro pole on Black River Road in Washago while on
his way to buy cocaine. The crash caused a power outage.

Hackett had the truck towed away and later told police the truck was
stolen from a Tim Hortons in Barrie, but Barrie Const. Neil Towns got
suspicious when no sign of the truck showed on the store's video
surveillance system.

Police finally located the smashed truck two years later at the home
of a Muskoka man who bought the truck for parts.

At that point, the OPP were called, and when two officers knocked on
Hackett's door, they found him stoned.

In a letter Hackett wrote to the judge, read out loud by his lawyer
Harry Black, Hackett told how his life began to spiral downward after
starting on the downtown night patrol working with drug informants
and later becoming a member of the emergency response unit.

"I was exhausted," he said. "It was a life of high stress and violent
crime. I witnessed suicide, homicide, violent assaults and crimes of
the most awful nature against children."

He tried to get transferred, but he was refused, he claims.

"I hit bottom," he said.

The Barrie Police Service sent Hackett to a drug rehabilitation
centre and he has kicked his habit.

He also participates in a 12-step program as well as group
counselling for police officers.

"Police officers are not taught to deal with stress by the Barrie
police," he said.

In another letter to the judge, Barrie police officer Jason Nevill,
who is himself due in court March 8 to face criminal charges of
assault, told the judge that Hackett was a great police officer.

In his sentencing, Justice Glenn Krelove gave Hackett credit for
pleading guilty and for not having a criminal record.

He also noted Hackett made a $1,500 donation to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

"But you have brought shame to yourself and to the Barrie Police
Service," said the judge. "The Barrie police have a long history of
excellent service to this city."

He ordered Hackett to spend 100 hours doing community service, which
will include speaking to students on the perils of drug use.

"You said you hit bottom," said the judge.

"It has been said that success is measured by how high you bounce
after you hit bottom."

The judge agreed to withdraw a second charge of theft in connection
with money Hackett took from a civilian after he booked him in the
police cells in 2002.

Crown attorney Ken Anthony agreed to drop the charges after Hackett
agreed to resign yesterday and plead guilty under the Police Act for
discreditable conduct.

Outside of court, Hackett said he wasn't ready to talk about how he
got caught up in the drug trap. But he said he looks forward to
talking to students about it.