ESTEVAN — The Estevan Police Service has announced the dismissal of an officer who pleaded guilty to assault earlier this year.
Vaughn Golden, who was a constable, had his employment terminated Dec. 3. Golden pleaded guilty to assault on Oct. 14 in Regina Provincial Court and received an absolute discharge, meaning he won’t have a criminal record, nor was there any further punishment.
Police Chief Jamie Blunden said there were a number of reasons for Golden’s dismissal, which Blunden said he can’t delve into because Golden has the right to appeal for 30 days, according to the provincial Police Act.
“Policing is about relationships, and those relationships relate to having trust, and I think there’s a lot of trust lost amongst a lot of the different relationships that we have to have, with the community, with the police service, with the courts. There’s a lot of places where I think he’s not suitable for the position anymore, and so as a result, we did terminate his employment with us,” Blunden said in an interview with SaskToday.
Since Golden’s guilty plea, the EPS had to work through a process, including giving him 15 days notice of dismissal as per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the Estevan Police Association and the Estevan board of police commissioners. Golden was given the dismissal letter on Nov. 18.
“We have done everything that we have based on … the process set out and outlined in the Police Act, and also followed the collective bargaining agreement,” said Blunden.
An appeal would take place in front of a hearing officer and Blunden. In Saskatchewan, Blunden knows of some dismissed officers who have appealed. Others have resigned prior to relief of duty and some retired from the force.
Golden will not receive any further compensation or severance from the EPS, Blunden said, barring a favourable result for Golden in an appeal.
In an email to SaskToday, Golden’s attorney Darren Kraushaar said a decision has not been made on an appeal.
Golden was hired by the EPS in the spring of 2022 and then went to the Saskatchewan Police College. He was initially charged with assault, along with mischief and uttering threats, in late 2024 following an investigation by the provincial Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT). At the time, he was placed on non-uniform administrative duties.
Then he was charged by SIRT with violating the terms of a release order before the end of 2024 for contacting one of the victims. He was subsequently relieved of his duties and placed on paid leave at that time, as per the terms of the Police Act, until his dismissal.
The other charges he was facing were stayed.
