BURNABY COP FIRED FOR POT USE

A Burnaby RCMP officer has been fired after admitting to using
marijuana, according to newspaper reports.

Const. Amyn Dharamshi had lost his wallet, which a Good Samaritan
dropped into a mailbox. Canada Post security forwarded it on to
Vancouver police who found inside a baggie containing marijuana and a
package of rolling papers.

RCMP were contacted, who questioned Dharamshi. The Mountie first
denied the pot was his, saying it belonged to his brother, who had
borrowed his wallet. But just after taking a lie-detector test,
Dharamshi admitted the marijuana was his and he had been smoking it
for a few months to deal with marital and financial troubles.

A disciplinary panel ruled in 2005 that his use of the narcotic was
serious and aggravated by the fact he lied about it when first
questioned. It ruled he should be forced to resign or if he didn't do
so, fired.

Dharamshi appealed the decision but it was upheld last spring. He
resigned in July 2008.