City police officer challenges discreditable conduct charge related to Facebook post
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Const. Fay Goss pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of insubordination and discreditable conduct for her alleged comments slamming the results of a separate disciplinary hearing that demoted her husband from sergeant to constable in 2010.
On Dec. 2, 2011 — despite an earlier direct order not to send any emails in relation to Randy Goss’s disciplinary hearing about drinking and driving, then denying it to a superior — Fay Goss allegedly posted a message to the Edmonton Police Association’s Facebook page calling the proceedings into question.
Randy Goss was charged and convicted on two counts of discreditable conduct Sept. 22, 2010. In a decision called unprecedented in local police history, Randy was demoted to constable from sergeant for two years, a pay cut that was equivalent to a $30,000 fine. He and three other officers were off-duty in November 2007 when they went to Joey’s Grill and Patio Lounge, where Randy drank six pints of beer, four single-ounce rum-and-Cokes and two shooters, the agreed statement of facts stated. He drove his truck home, despite warnings from the lounge staff.
A staff sergeant testified at Randy’s disciplinary hearing that when he called Randy later that night, he said he had been home all night. At the hearing, Randy questioned the accuracy of that sergeant’s testimony about their conversation.
The Facebook post, allegedly written by Fay, did the same. It spoke about “the heavy-handed (then-police chief Mike) Boyd regime, a deceitful witness who lied about what Randy and I said that night, a hearing officer who chose not to listen and a (Law Enforcement Review Board) who didn’t have the courage to do the right thing,” according to the record of the disciplinary proceedings.
Fay then allegedly copied and pasted the post in an email to the current police chief, Rod Knecht, the exhibit noted.
The disciplinary hearing is set to continue April 4.
Fay has served with Edmonton Police Services for nearly 25 years. Randy had 22 years of service when he was demoted in 2010.
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