Halifax cop charged with assaulting homeless man at shelter

A video camera captured anincident that led Nova Scotia's police watchdog to chargea Halifax Regional Police officer withassaulting a man and breaking his noseat the Metro Turning Point shelter in February.

Const. Laurence Gary Basso, 37, is charged with assault causing bodily harm, public mischief and breach of trust.

On March 4, Halifax Regional Police contacted Nova Scotia's Serious Incident Response Team about a complaint from a member of the public alleging anofficerassaulted a 54-year-old man at the shelter on Feb. 25.

Felix Cacchionetook over as SiRT director in March after a 32-year career as a judge. He saidhe'd be concerned if this had allegedly happened to any citizen, but a homeless person living in a shelter has "enough on their plate." He said the assault appeared to be unprovoked.

"He suffered a fractured nose as a result of being struck, and obviously it bled," Cacchionesaid Friday. "What occurred was captured on videotape and whether or not provocation existed would be for the court trying it to determine. We don't believe there was."

Cacchionesaid the alleged victim had been asked to leave the shelter as he'd been seen drinking alcohol inside. He sat on a milk crate outsidein the snowandpolice were called to get him to leave the property.

"Certainly anyone who is homeless is more vulnerable," the SiRTdirector said. "When someone has nowhere else to go, that makes them more vulnerable."

Basso accused of lying in police reports

The mischief and breach-of-trust charges allege that between Feb. 25 and March 3, Basso wrote police reports and notes including information he knew was false to mislead a police officer investigating the incident at the shelter. The charge sayshe wanted "todivert suspicion from himself of having committed the offence of assault causing bodily harm."

It's not the first time the police officer has been in troublewith the law.

Basso was charged with theft in May 2015. He wasaccused of stealing a substanceknown as cut, which is used to dilute drugs, from an evidence locker at police headquarters on Gottingen Street.

But the Crownwithdrew the charges in February 2017due to delays in the prosecution.The Crown had been under intense deadline pressure since the Supreme Court of Canada imposed limits on how long cases can take to make it through the courts.

Cacchionesaid the previous case has no bearing on this incident.

Suspended with pay

Basso's arraignment related to the charges stemming from the Metro Turning Point incidentis scheduled for May 22. Unlike the previous theft prosecution,Cacchionesaid he does not expect the charges will be withdrawn.

Halifax Regional Policeconfirmed Basso has been suspended with pay. Const. CarolMcIsaac said in an email that under the provincial Police Act, suspended officers must receivepay and allowances for at least 60 days. Following that, the police chief can decide tostop the officer's pay if they remain suspended.

McIsaac said because the matter is before the courts, police would not be commenting further.

SIRTis responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia. It isindependent of police forcesand the Nova Scotia Department of Justice.