Edmonton Sgt. Michael Bates pleads guilty to assaulting a man at a downtown LRT station. Court grants conditional discharge, leaving no conviction.
Officer Pleads Guilty to Assault in LRT Incident
An Edmonton police officer has admitted to assaulting a man found sleeping in a downtown LRT station. Sgt. Michael Bates, an 18-year member of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), pleaded guilty Monday in Edmonton Court of Justice. The court granted him a conditional discharge, meaning no criminal conviction will remain on his record.
Details of the January 2024 Encounter
According to an agreed statement of facts, Bates and three EPS constables encountered Tristan McAdam asleep inside Corona Station on the evening of January 20, 2024. The officers woke McAdam, who appeared intoxicated, and instructed him to leave. Court documents noted an exchange of profanities between Bates and McAdam before the man began gathering his belongings. As McAdam walked away, Bates tackled him and struck him twice in the head.
Internal Complaint Led to Charges
Following the incident, McAdam was briefly detained and taken to the Herb Jamieson Centre, though he suffered no reported injuries. The assault charge arose not from a public complaint but from concerns raised by the officers on duty with Bates. Crown prosecutor Tom Buglas confirmed McAdam himself played no role in the proceedings, as he could not be located.
Rare Case Outside Watchdog Oversight
Bates was charged in November 2024 after an internal EPS investigation. This path to charges is unusual, as most cases involving police misconduct in Alberta are handled through the provincial watchdog, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT). At the time of his charge, Bates was reassigned from front-line patrol duties to a non-supervisory position. EPS confirmed he currently serves in an investigative role.
Court Accepts Conditional Discharge
Justice Peter Ayotte accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence lawyers for a conditional discharge. Bates must abide by a six-month no-contact order with the victim and continue psychological counselling. Defence counsel Mike Danyluik argued the incident was a “momentary, uncharacteristic response,” citing personal and medical stressors. Bates, recognized in 2019 with an EPS medal of valour for aiding in a plane crash rescue, has no prior disciplinary record.
Judge Highlights Public Trust
In delivering the sentence, Justice Ayotte underscored the weight of public confidence in police officers. “The public places great trust in a policeman,” he remarked. Bates apologized to his fellow officers but chose not to address the court directly.
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