Home / Crime and Justice / Ex-Winnipeg Cop: Ticket Fixing Was Unwritten Rule
Ex-Winnipeg Cop: Ticket Fixing Was Unwritten Rule
15 Jan
Summary
- Former officer admitted voiding tickets for liquor and gift cards.
- He pleaded guilty to drug sales and sharing confidential information.
- Concerns about his conduct date back to 2009, internal probe found.
A former Winnipeg police officer, Elston Bostock, revealed that fixing traffic tickets was an "unwritten rule" within the service. Bostock, 49, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including accepting liquor and gift cards in exchange for voiding tickets. He also admitted to stealing cannabis, sharing sensitive police data, and engaging in inappropriate conduct related to an overdose victim.
Bostock's offenses date back to 2016, but an investigation uncovered concerns stretching back to 2009. He confessed to selling drugs, including cocaine and psilocybin, to friends and fellow officers. A psychological report detailed his struggles with depression and substance abuse, including daily marijuana use and alcohol consumption impacting his work.
The court heard about a pervasive "culture of drinking" among colleagues and Bostock's self-admitted "didn't care anymore" attitude in his later years. Despite being removed from the force, he is expected to retain his pension. Sentencing is scheduled for next week, with prosecutors seeking a seven-year sentence.
