2 suspended Fredericton police officers get arbitration dates

Two suspended members of the Fredericton Police Force will have arbitration hearings before the New Brunswick Police Commission this fall.

The commission released the dates for hearings involving Const. Cherie Campbell and Const. Jeff Smiley on Friday. Both hearings will be open to the public.

Smiley's hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 2 to 6 at the Wu Conference Centre at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton.

He was suspended in February 2014 after being charged with assaulting his live-in girlfriend.

The charge was ultimately dismissed over a jurisdictional issue, but Smiley has remained suspended as he is also charged with breaking an undertaking to turn over his firearms to authorities.

Smiley will have another hearing on May 24, 2016, which will also be held in Fredericton.

Meanwhile, Campbell was suspended after being charged with shoplifting in Houlton, Me.

Her trial ended in a hung jury.

Prosecution of the case ended when Campbell paid $500 in court costs. There was no finding of guilt or innocence through that process.

Campbell's arbitation hearing is set for Dec. 7, also at the Wu Centre.

Both cases are to be arbitrated by lawyer Cedric Haines.

The complainant in both cases is Fredericton Police Chief Leanne Fitch.

On Aug. 27, Fitch called a news conference about the mounting number of suspensions of members of her force.

Two officers have been arrested for impaired driving while off duty this summer and have also been suspended.

Another officer is suspended after allegations involving misappropriation of funds.

Fitch called for police chiefs to have the ability to suspend officers without pay.

"It is not lost on me or the vast majority of members of our force that suspensions with pay during lengthy criminal and Police Act cases do have an impact on public perception of fairness," said Fitch at her news conference.