CORNWALL – A Cornwall police officer has been knocked down a peg for an interaction with his Brockville counterparts during a traffic stop in May 2016.
Const. Daniel Merpaw – a first-class constable – was demoted to second-class constable for six months after a Police Services Act (PSA) hearing in Cornwall on Thursday (May 11).
He was found guilty on a PSA charge of discreditable conduct.
The demotion equates to $8,000 in lost pay, as well as the black mark on his employment record.
Merpaw had been involved in an altercation with Brockville police in May 2016 after his wife was pulled over for a traffic stop while he was a passenger in the vehicle.
During a roadside breath test, Merpaw had been providing advice to his wife and interfering with officers, the hearing heard.
Merpaw, an eight year veteran with the Cornwall Community Police Service, had also been visibly intoxicated while at the police station later in the evening.
In March, Merpaw had pled guilty in a Brockville court to a criminal charge of obstructing a police officer and was given three months probation plus a $100 fine.
Merpaw reportedly apologized at the Police Services Act hearing, following the decision.