MOUNTIE CHARGED WITH NINE NARCOTIC OFFENCES

A Penticton RCMP constable has been charged with nine narcotics
offences relating to activities while he was on the job between May,
1998 up to his suspension last August.

Const. Mark Webb appeared briefly in court Tuesday and was ordered to
appear again April 17.

Among the charges are obstructing justice, bribery, theft and
conspiracy to commit theft of marijuana, and trafficking and
conspiracy to traffic marijuana.

Penticton Insp. Stew McLeod said a criminal investigation, which had
been underway for months before Webb's initial arrest, was launched
immediately upon receipt of allegations against Webb.

McLeod stressed the allegations are restricted to Webb and that no
other officers are under investigation.

He said Webb's arrest has been difficult for other members to deal
with and, initially, dealt a blow to morale at the local detachment.

"It has had a significant impact. It hits us all in different
ways."

But he said it should not shake public confidence in police
work.

"Any time a police officer is subject to a criminal charge, I think it
is important to assure the public as to both process and consequence,"
he said. "Issues involving public trust and confidence remain
fundamental to the effective delivery of policing services."

Webb, 30, is a seven-year veteran of the force. He was suspended from
duty with pay Aug. 19 after he was briefly arrested and held in police
cells and his Summerland residence was searched.

According to court documents, Webb is alleged to have attempted to
obstruct justice by various means. The charges allege he corruptly
accepted a sum of money with intent to protect Shaun Sunduk, who
attempted to traffic in marijuana. He is also alleged to have
attempted to obtain a payoff from Richard Hoy in return for erasing a
driving charge.

Norris Melcosky, who is not a member of the force, is named in two of
the counts: to conspire to steal marijuana with a value over $5,000
and to conspire to traffic in marijuana. Though not charged, Sunduk
and Hoy are also named in the conspiracy charges.

The charges were laid after a lengthy investigation by members of the
RCMP E Division (British Columbia) Internal Affairs Branch and members
in the local detachment. A parallel but independent internal
investigation is also underway, said McLeod.

Webb had been a member of the detachment's Property Crime Task Force,
which also acts as the detachment's drug unit, but was transferred to
general duty when placed under investigation. The seven month delay in
laying charges was due in part to the nature of any investigation
involving a peace officer. The allegations were handled by the
regional crown counsel offices in Kamloops and Kelowna and final
charge approval had to come from the Ministry of Attorney General's
office in Victoria. the file will now proceed through the courts the
same as any other file.