Sask. RCMP officer charged with impaired driving twice in 24 hours

SASKATOON -- A Saskatchewan RCMP officer is facing impaired driving charges following two incidents earlier this week.

On Tuesday, at around 10 p.m. Swift Current RCMP received a complaint about an impaired driver in Waldeck, north east of Swift Current.

Officers arrested Kevin Granrude, a constable with Swift Current Combined Traffic Services with 15 years of service, at the scene. Police say Granrude was held over night in police custody and released on Wednesday, with conditions and an indefinite administrative driver’s license suspension.

That same afternoon, at about 1:45 p.m., Swift Current RCMP received a complaint of a vehicle driving erratically on Highway 1.

Officers stopped the vehicle near Rush Lake and performed a roadside test on the driver, which he failed. As a result, Granrude was arrested a second time.

Police said Granrude was off-duty during both incidents and was not using an RCMP vehicle, and the vehicles in both incidents have been impounded.

Granrude is facing two counts of operation while impaired and one count of failure or refusal to comply with demand. According to a press release, Swift Current RCMP are actively investigating the second incident and more charges are pending.

Granrude appeared in provincial court via telephone on Thursday. His next court appearance is Aug. 18. 

He will be the subject of an RCMP Code of Conduct investigation. RCMP say he has been suspended with pay while all available discipline measures are reviewed as part of the first step of their internal conduct process.

“I understand hearing about incidents like this is very concerning to the public,” said Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Commanding Officer, in a news release. “I too share these concerns. These are not the standards we hold our police officers and employees to. The Saskatchewan RCMP will ensure these matters are thoroughly investigated.”

RCMP say they are unable to provide more details as the matter is now before the courts and subject to further criminal investigation and internal investigation.