A veteran Winnipeg police officer arrested last year is facing new criminal charges, including causing an indignity to human remains, after he allegedly distributed a photo of a dead woman while on duty.
Const. Elston Bostock, a 22-year member of the force, was arrested in November after police said colleagues came forward with concerns and there was a lengthy internal investigation.
The investigation continued, and 48-year-old Bostock was arrested again Wednesday and charged with several additional offences.
Police said Bostock responded to a sudden death at a home in May 2021. While at the scene, it's alleged he took a photo of the woman, who was partially clothed, and sent it to another officer.
He's also charged with drug trafficking. Police said investigators seized Bostock's personal phone in November and discovered 84 drug transactions with various individuals while he was on and off-duty.
During a search of his home, officers found cocaine, amphetamines and psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms, police added.
Bostock is further accused of stealing ammunition and giving it to a friend, asking other officers to void traffic tickets, giving confidential police database information to members of the public, and attempting to evict tenants from a home while on duty.
The force takes the allegations seriously, said Chief Gene Bowers.
"These are very serious allegations which go directly against the values of the Winnipeg Police Service, tarnishing our reputation and eroding the public's confidence," he told reporters Thursday.
"We understand the damage this does to public trust, trust which must be earned every day. And that is what we intend to do."
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Bowers said he spoke with the family of the woman this week, along with Deputy Chief of Investigative Services Cam Mackid.
"We wanted to apologize for the actions that took place and express our dismay," he said.
A second officer was also arrested Wednesday.
Const. Vernon Strutinsky, a 15-year member of the force, was charged with break and enter to commit an indictable offence and breach of trust.
Police said he was partnered with Bostock when the two went to the home to evict tenants in March 2023. Notes were left for the tenants, threatening arrest if they didn't comply.
The matter was unrelated to their police duties, said Mackid.
Strutinsky was released on an undertaking, police said, and Bostock was detained in custody.
Both have been removed from duty pending internal disciplinary proceedings.
Two other officers were also charged with Bostock in November, but police did not comment on those cases.
Bowers committed to adding three investigators to the internal investigations unit to ensure all allegations are investigated thoroughly.
He said he has written to Justice Minister Matt Wiebe asking that the Police Services Act include a uniform code of conduct for all officers in Manitoba, and that it include a requirement to publish disciplinary actions resulting from police misconduct.
Wiebe said he received the letter this week and the government supports a code of conduct to reinforce accountability, but stopped short of committing to a public registry.
"We're very eager ... to really understand what are the best tools available to ensure that there is that transparency and accountability," he said.
