A “rogue” Vancouver police officer was arrested at VPD headquarters yesterday and charged for allegedly peddling marijuana while on-duty.
Peter Hodson, 31, a Vancouver constable with less than five years experience, faces four charges, including trafficking marijuana.
He was arrested at 11:30 a.m. at the department’s headquarters on Cambie Street.
“There will be no discussion here of discipline or suspension,” said Chief Const. Jim Chu. “I have taken the step of firing Hodson as of today. He is no longer a member of the Vancouver Police Department.”
Hodson, who worked general patrol in the Downtown Eastside, is also charged with break and enter to commit extortion as well as two counts of breach of trust for selling drugs and for the illegal use of a police database.
The alleged offences are supposed to have occurred since Dec. 4.
An investigative team was formed and an office was established off site. Upward of 30 officers took part and RCMP provided front-line assistance and investigative oversight.
“What we found was disturbing and disgraceful,” Chu said, adding that he could not discuss many details because the charges were before the court.
“I can tell you that we assembled evidence that Hodson was trafficking street-level amounts of marijuana both on and off duty.”
Street-level trafficking usually involves two pounds of marijuana or less.
He added that there is no evidence that it was anything more than the actions of a “single rogue officer.”
