SENIOR OFFICER CHARGED IN ARREST, STRIP SEARCH

EDMONTON - A city police officer has been charged with unlawful
exercise of authority for arresting and strip searching the son of
lawyer Tom Engel after evidence of the alleged crime -- a marijuana
cigarette -- was thrown away.

Chief Mike Boyd ordered the charge against Sgt. Bill Allen following
an internal investigation into a complaint brought by Matt Engel. The
chief found there was insufficient evidence to charge three other
officers involved in the incident.

In a lawsuit filed in February, Matt Engel, 22, admitted he was
smoking a marijuana cigarette in an alley behind the Strathcona Hotel
on Feb. 25, 2005, when he was approached by three police officers.
Engel said that when an officer asked for the cigarette, he gave it
to him and the officer subsequently threw it onto the ground. After
discarding the marijuana, one of the officers asked Engel to submit
to a search. He initially refused but then relented and emptied his
pockets, including his identification.

Matt Engel claimed in his lawsuit that as soon as the officers
realized they were dealing with the son of Tom Engel, a well-known
critic of the city police force, his head was slammed against the
wall and he was roughly handcuffed and taken to a police station.
Engel said his request for a lawyer was denied, he was not read his
rights and he was stripped down to his underwear. The strip search
ended when another police officer intervened. His clothes were
returned to him and he was released without charge.

In their statement of defence, the officers said Engel threw the
marijuana cigarette down and ground it into the mud with his foot. He
then refused to be searched and after being given the option of being
searched on the spot or at the station, he opted to be taken to the
station. He was handcuffed roughly because he briefly resisted
arrest, the officers said.

At the police station, Engel was given the opportunity to disrobe so
his clothes could be searched and when no drugs were found, he was
released. The police also said he refused their offer to call a
lawyer and they deny any animosity toward Matt Engel because of his
relationship to Tom Engel.

No hearing has been scheduled for Allen.