Kevin Gregson

Kevin Reid Gregson, (born August 30, 1966) is a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer convicted of the murder of Ottawa Police constable Eric Czapnik in the early morning of December 29, 2009.

Early life

Gregson was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He was adopted at two days old by Faye and Reid Gregson, living in Ottawa, Ontario. They were not given any medical information about his biological family, his mother’s pregnancy or his birth.

At 13, around the time he started shooting animals with a pellet gun, he became, at times, so uncontrollable that his mother would send him to the garage. He resisted his father’s discipline and started running away from home at 16, at first for hours, and then overnight. One of those arguments ended in a physical fight with his father and, in turn, he was kicked out of the house and ended up living at a neighbor's. He was later placed in child-welfare care for up to three months before returning home.

At age 19, Gregson had broken into his Latter Day Saint Church in Ottawa and stolen some items including a television. He was charged and convicted of this crime. He was not able to apply for work in policing due to this, so he waited 10 years and applied for a pardon (and to have his record sealed). He then went through the process of applying to become a police officer. Gregson graduated from Merivale High School, but returned for grade 13 so he could play football and ended up dropping out. He then went to Algonquin College where he later dropped out of environmental studies and their law and security course. Gregson then dropped out of a nursing program and later completed a native-addictions course.

Gregson served an LDS mission in the Salt Lake City South and Utah Provo missions from 1988 to 1990. As a missionary he was intense and focused, but at times showed resistance to authority. Though some did find him difficult to work with, he completed his two years of service and was released honorably. After his mission, he took jobs as an orderly — first at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre and then the Riverview Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Personal life and education

Gregson studied addictions counselling at Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Career

Gregson graduated from RCMP Academy, Depot Division on August 4, 1998. On February 12, 2000, Gregson was cited for bravery for disarming a gunman near Pelly, Saskatchewan.

He was suspended in 2006 after a number of run-ins with senior officers. He was ordered to resign from the force in 2008, but appealed.

On March 17, 2008, Gregson and his mother visited the Ottawa home of then-RCMP Commissioner William J. S. Elliott where they presented cookies and documents. Afterward, Gregson received a suspension as this violated the previous sanction he had received for visiting his supervisor's Regina home.

In 2009, then-RCMP Commissioner William J. S. Elliott stated that Gregson has recently been suspended without pay and has been asked to resign from the RCMP or face dismissal. Gregson refused to resign and was in the process of appealing the dismissal.

An unnamed veteran RCMP officer remarked of Gregson's case: "When I was in, they didn’t discipline you out; they forced you out by making your life miserable. That remains part of the culture. That’s what they were trying to do." Gregson remained on the payroll as he was disciplined, suspended and demeaned. According to the RCMP Act, the force cannot place an emotionally troubled member into treatment, although they could threaten dismissal to persuade the member to receive treatment. The Ottawa Citizen found that Gregson remained on the payroll all while being disciplined, suspended and demeaned by the RCMP.

In the early morning of December 29, 2009 at approximately 4:30 am, Gregson stabbed and killed Constable Eric Czapnik at the emergency entrance of the Ottawa Civic Hospital. After the incident Gregson was apprehended by civilian bystanders as well as four members of the Ottawa Paramedic Service before being transferred to police custody. The attack was believed to be random. Gregson and his victim had no previous encounters.

Charges

On the evening of December 29, 2009, the Ottawa Police Service announced that Gregson has been charged with first-degree murder, robbery and using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offense, in relation to the death of Constable Eric Czapnik. If convicted he will face a mandatory life sentence.

Verdict

On March 13, 2012, a jury returned a guilty verdict for the charges of first-degree murder and robbery.

Gregson was a Mormon, while working as an RCMP officer in Saskatchewan in 2006, he threatened to kill a LDS Church bishop in Regina after having the renewal of his temple recommend refused. During this encounter he pulled a knife on his bishop and stated that he was trained to kill. He was found guilty and received a conditional discharge.