REGINA, Sask. — More details emerged Tuesday about the circumstances surrounding the removal of former Regina police chief Farooq Sheikh.
It was the first full day of testimony and evidence at the hearing of the Saskatchewan Police Commission into Sheikh’s appeal of the Regina Board of Police Commissioners’ decision to fire him with cause last October, following an investigation by the Public Complaints Commission.
The commission hearing, led by chair Aaron Fox, heard evidence Tuesday of texts, flirty banter and images, as well as a drug investigation involving someone close to the complainant.
The first witness called to testify was Shawn George, who had served on the Public Complaints Commission as an investigator in this case shortly after retiring from a long career with the Regina Police Service and prior to Sheikh becoming police chief.
George spent a good deal of time testifying about a host of text messages that were obtained from phone records of the exchanges between Sheikh and the complainant in the case, with the identity of the complainant subject to a publication ban in this hearing.
George described the messages between the two as friendly banter and flirtatious, including flirtatious images.
There was also texting between the two when the complainant travelled to the Dominican Republic and texted a photo of herself to Sheikh.
The relationship between the two started deteriorating after it came to light she was closely linked to an individual who was the subject of a rapidly unfolding major drug investigation. The name of the individual is also covered by a publication ban and that matter is currently before the courts.
A recorded phone call from Feb. 26, 2025, was played. In that audio, the issue of the drug investigation was a focal point of conversation, with the complainant speaking about how bad the incident looked for her on the board. During that call, Sheikh also asked the complainant to delete certain text messages they had shared. At one point, Sheikh had also asked if others were able to hear them on the call, and as it later turned out, there were others listening at the time.
Following the playing of the audio, George was asked about that exchange. “I’d say it wasn’t appropriate,” said George, noting the investigation that was still going on.
George had to depart for another engagement early in the afternoon and he is due to return to the stand to finish cross-examination on Wednesday morning. The rest of the day was devoted to the extensive replaying of audio of an investigation interview with Sheikh. During that interview, Sheikh denied he had romantic interest in the complainant.
The hearing is due back at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning in Regina, with hearing dates scheduled all the way to Sept. 24.
