COP STUDY FLYING HIGH

The Edmonton Police Service has launched an internal investigation
into allegations that aboriginal sex-trade workers were recruited to
get high on drugs so they could be studied by cops in a training exercise.

The training was aimed at helping police enforce proposed federal
laws that would would target drivers who are impaired by drugs, say officials.

A whistle-blower who contacted the Sun, and did not want to be named,
said the subjects had been recruited at the request of police by an
Edmonton social worker who helps reform street prostitutes and is
connected to the Metis Child and Family Services Society, Edmonton.

The training took place at the Metis society facility at 10437 123
Street on Dec. 2 and involved 24 sworn police officers, including EPS
and RCMP, as well as a Crown prosecutor, an EPS spokesman confirmed.

Sources say the subjects got high and were then observed by cops. The
women were familiar with the Metis social agency because they'd been
assisted by the organization to help clean up their acts and get off
the streets.

"Many ethical questions are involved in this, namely procuring the
use of marginalized women who are valued so little," the
whistle-blower told the Sun.

"To be observed and recorded by police, it would be like asking them
to strip naked.

"This required police authorization for them to secure their own
illegal drugs ... and have police look the other way while they
injected snorted or smoked them to get high."

Metis society executive director Donald Langford admitted the
training went on at the society. He wasn't there that day, but doubts
drugs were done inside the building since booze and dope is banned at
the centre.

Langford said the women "were part of a court diversion program" and
that they volunteered to be a part of the police training program.

"We take responsibility for recruiting. It was my worker who said,
'Yes, we're willing to do it.' And I'd do it again," he said. "I
think it was done for the right reasons."

The tipster begged to differ: "The people these girls are supposed to
trust to take care of them have turned around and used them as guinea pigs."

Police corporate communications manager Staff Sgt. Greg Alcorn
confirmed the EPS has launched an internal investigation. A complaint
was filed last month.

Alcorn confirmed Chief Mike Boyd knows of the probe.

"As much as we'd like to share more information around this, until
we've resolved this to the satisfaction of the complainant, we won't
be able to say much more," said Alcorn

Kate Quinn, executive director of the Prostitution Awareness and
Action Foundation of Edmonton told the Sun her agency had nothing to
do with the operation and didn't know about it ahead of time. "The
only approved formal court diversion program is our program and we
had no knowledge this research project was taking place," said Quinn.

She questioned whether a training operation was helpful to the
women's recovery. "How would participating help (the women) or impact
them?" asked Quinn.

The social worker with the Metis society who assisted in setting up
the training session for cops did not return calls to discuss the
police training.

"Overall these social agencies do good work," said the tipster. "I
hope it doesn't reflect badly on them. But there are better ways for
police to learn about drugs."