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Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK

CONTENT ADVISORY

A B.C. Mountie who fell asleep while drunk in his unmarked cop car at a Burger King drive-thru has lost a month's pay and will lose 15 days annual leave.

The details are laid out in a recently published April 8 RCMP Notice of Conduct decision.

After a day of drinking at several RCMP colleagues' houses, Const. Blaise Picketts hopped in his unmarked police car with his RCMP service dog in the back and drove 25 kilometres to Maple Ridge.

On the way, he scraped the police vehicle on a concrete barrier while crossing the Golden Ears Bridge before arriving at the Burger King drive-thru.

He then fell asleep behind the wheel with his credit card in his hand and the engine running in the line-up.

Staff at the fast-food restaurant attempted to wake him up but after trying for 20 minutes called the police.

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When the police arrived Const. Picketts told them to "fuck off" and wouldn't cooperate with being breathalyzed. He then bit the straw of the breathalyzer and wouldn't blow hard enough.

The officers then tried to arrest Const. Picketts.

The drunken cop attempted to knee one of the officers in the groin and grabbed the handcuffs they were trying to put on him.

The officers called for backup as they weren't sure they were dealing with an RCMP officer or someone that had just stolen a police car.

It took several officers to get him into a police cruiser as Const. Picketts used his legs on the side of the vehicle to prevent himself from being pushed in.

Once in the police car, he was taken to the Maple Ridge detachment but his attitude didn't change.

While being photographed he gave the middle finger to the camera.

He then needed to be handcuffed again and physically forced into the cell.

Unsurprisingly, Const. Picketts admitted he had little recollection of the events due to how drunk he was but agreed the incident took place on April 9, 2020.

The RCMP Conduct Board decision said Const. Picketts was later charged with resisting arrest and refusing a breathalyzer test.

In June 2021, he pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and was put on probation for three months and was issued a $1,000 fine. Crown prosecutors stayed the charge of refusing to provide a breathalyzer sample.

There is no explanation given for why the officer wasn't charged with drunk driving.

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The decision said as an RCMP dog handler Const. Picketts was allowed to take his unmarked police vehicle home, and on his day off arranged to meet other dog handlers to train with their dogs.

Afterwards Const. Picketts drove to another RCMP member's home in Langley and stopped to pick up some alcohol.

Over the course of the afternoon Const. Picketts drove to several RCMP members' homes often stopping to buy booze on the way.

There is no mention in the decision that any of the other police officers attempted to prevent Const. Picketts from driving although they knew he'd been drinking.

At 2 a.m. he left an RCMP officer's home in Langley and drove to the Burger King in Maple Ridge where he was later arrested.

Const. Picketts service dog was in the police car when he was arrested along with a police dog drug kit, mobile workstation, and his firearm and ammunition.

"Constable Picketts engaged in very serious misconduct. His actions were reckless and put his and other people’s safety at risk, as well as that of his police service dog," the RCMP Conduct Board ruled. "His behaviour was disrespectful, uncooperative and combative while resisting arrest. His actions caused (a) minor injury to two arresting officers."

The Board said Const. Picketts is a senior member with 13 years of service and "should have known better."

The decision said the officer had repaid the $7,000 of damage he caused to the vehicle when he hit the bridge and was genuinely remorseful for his actions.

"He has taken concrete and extensive steps to address his medical conditions and to maintain his sobriety," the decision read.

The Board said if it wasn't for Const. Picketts "significant efforts" to rehabilitate himself, he may have been dismissed from the force.

However, the Board instead fined him 30 days wages – although the amount is not disclosed – and docked him 15 days of vacation.

The officer was removed from the dog handling team and won't be able to get a promotion for three years.

He will also have to make a direct apology to the officers that arrested him at the Burger King.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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