Fired cop testifies Hells Angel associate was like a ‘little brother’

A former Saskatoon Police Service sergeant says loyalty, not corruption, was behind his friendship with the Hells Angels associate — a connection that got him fired from service.

Robbie Taylor was dismissed on Mar. 13, and is appealing the decision at an independent hearing this week.

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On Friday, he testified that he had always been honest about his friendship with the associate, describing him as “trustworthy” and like a “little brother” to him.

The Hells Angels associate’s name is protected under a publication ban.

Taylor met the associate around 2011 at a mobile phone shop and over the years he helped the former police officer set up his personal cell phones.

Taylor said the associate immediately disclosed that he had a previous drug trafficking conviction, for which he served prison time.

Over time, the two became friends, often going out for dinner and drinks together. Taylor said he trusted the associate with his phone and felt his privacy and security were never breached.

The associate won a large sum of money, but Taylor said their friendship never changed. The former sergeant never expected money nor gifts from the associate.

The two travelled together to Ireland, and Taylor said he paid for half the trip. He also recalled the associate giving him a watch, which later raised concerns during the investigation into Taylor.

Taylor said he was aware of the individual’s association with the biker gang and warned the associate not get involved. But the associate disagreed.

Taylor testified that the associate hasn’t been involved in any criminal activity since his previous conviction and that he wouldn’t involve himself with people who engage in active crime.

Taylor said he wasn’t aware the friendship was an issue until his suspension in 2024, and had no conversations with the police service about it prior.

Throughout his testimony he remained adamant that he had not shared any information with the Hells Angels.

The Saskatoon Police Chief Cam McBride had also testified that there was no evidence to suggest Taylor had leaked any private information.

“My life has been destroyed,” Taylor said. “I didn’t do a damn thing wrong.”

During McBride’s testimony, he said the most significant allegation was related to a traffic stop in October of 2023, where Taylor attempted to intervene in an effort to influence another officer not to issue the associate a ticket.

During Taylor’s testimony, he said he regrets sending a text to the officer who pulled over the associate that said, “Let that guy go LOL.”

Taylor called his actions “stupid” but said he texted the officer to inform him that the associate was not an active member of the biker gang.

Abuse of process application dismissed

On Thursday, Taylor’s lawyer Brian Pfefferle made an abuse of process application, arguing that an important document tied to the 2023 traffic stop was withheld from the disclosure.

Pfefferle said for the first time on Wednesday, it was revealed that former Police Chief Troy Cooper was aware of the misconduct related to the traffic stop and there was no subsequent investigation or discipline. Taylor’s counsel argued the memo of Cooper’s decision was missing.

On Friday morning the independent hearing officer Ronni Nordal dismissed the application.

“We were disappointed that the abuse of process application was abandoned, but Sgt. Taylor wasn’t,” Pfefferle said.

Pfefferle said Taylor wasn’t given the opportunity to explain his side of the story to the police service before he was dismissed.

“At the end of the day, (now) he’s able to tell people why he did what he did,” Pfefferle said. “We’re very fortunate there are people like Sgt. Taylor that choose to become police officers in Saskatoon.”