EX-VANCOUVER COP GRANTED BAIL

Former Vancouver police officer Peter Hodson was released on $65,000
bail with numerous conditions Wednesday as his parents watched
quietly from the Main Street courtroom's gallery.

Hodson, wearing red prison attire, remained mostly expressionless as
Provincial Court Judge Jeanne Watchuk listed the conditions of his release.

Hodson was fired as a police constable and arrested April 21 on
several charges, including drug trafficking.

The bail conditions imposed Wednesday require Hodson to surrender his
passport and remain in B.C.; return all police-issued belongings,
including his badge, uniform and baton; abide by a curfew from
midnight to 6 a.m.; have only one telephone, either a cellphone or a
land line; and not consume alcohol outside of his White Rock home.

Hodson is also forbidden from entering a large area of the city that
includes all of east Vancouver, except to attend court or work at his
construction job.

Hodson's lawyer, Vincent Michaels, called the conditions "stringent,"
but not overly onerous. "My primary interest, of course, was getting
my client out of jail as quickly as possible on terms he could live
with and continue his life," said Michaels outside the court. He also
urged the public not to jump to conclusions based on accusations. "We
all remember many cases in the past where the evidence appeared to be
overwhelming and the result at the end of the proceedings was
something very different," Michaels said. "It's important to keep
that in mind."

Michaels said his client -- who is "doing well" and is "in good
spirits, all things considered" -- plans to plead not guilty.

Hodson, 31, was arrested after an exhaustive police investigation and
charged with trafficking marijuana, break-and-enter with intent to
commit extortion and two counts of breach of trust, one for selling
drugs and the other for illegal use of a police database.