Edmonton Police Chief Warren Driechel is seeking the dismissal of Detective Dan Behiels, who admitted to leaking confidential documents and making corruption allegations against senior police officials. The case has sparked debate about whether Behiels is a whistleblower or a rogue officer.
The Disciplinary Hearing
Detective Dan Behiels is currently in the final stages of a Police Act hearing that will determine his future with the Edmonton Police Service. The hearing officer must decide whether Behiels acted as a legitimate whistleblower or violated police protocols.
Behiels has already pleaded guilty to three counts of misconduct during the hearing that began last summer. The charges include breach of confidence and insubordination for his actions involving the leaking of sensitive police documents.
The Leaked Documents and Corruption Claims
The detective admitted to passing gigabytes worth of case files about Abdullah Shah to CBC reporter Janice Johnston. Shah, also known as Carmen Pervez, was a convicted mortgage fraudster and alleged drug dealer who was shot to death outside his home in 2022.
Johnston used the leaked documents to produce a series detailing failed attempts to prosecute the landlord and his associates. Behiels also made corruption allegations against senior Edmonton Police Service officials, claiming one superintendent had a "close knit" relationship with Shah.
Calgary police investigated these claims and, according to EPS officials, found no evidence of wrongdoing by any police personnel.
Conflicting Portraits of the Detective
David Wolsey, the lawyer representing Behiels, described his client as "a true whistleblower" who acted from moral conviction. "This came from a place of morality," Wolsey stated during the hearing. "He was following his moral compass."
However, Mark Huyser-Wierenga, the lawyer representing Chief Driechel, strongly disagreed with this characterization. "His moral compass is calibrated inaccurately," Huyser-Wierenga charged during proceedings.
The Complex Case of Abdullah Shah
Abdullah Shah owned dozens of rental properties in Edmonton's inner city and had a criminal history that included a 2008 mortgage fraud conviction and prison time. At the time of his killing, he was facing fentanyl trafficking charges.
Shah had survived being shot in the head by an unknown assailant months before his eventual slaying. Both shooting incidents remain unsolved crimes.
Behiels was involved in multiple investigations targeting Shah and his associates, including a joint operation with Canada Revenue Agency called Project Fisk. When this investigation failed to produce criminal charges, Shah's lawyers accused EPS of conducting a "witch hunt" against their client.
The disciplinary hearing continues as lawyers for Chief Driechel push for termination while Behiels' legal counsel seeks to have the case stayed due to alleged excessive delays in the proceedings.
