Officer accused of voyeurism peeked in motel windows, colleague testifies

A Halifax police officer charged withvoyeurism visited a local motel andpeeped inside its windows so many times he wore a path in the grass along the back of thesite, a fellow officer testified Wednesday at the trial for Const. George Farmer.

Farmer, an 11-year veteran of the Halifax Regional Police, is also charged with trespassing at night and breach of trust for alleged incidents at the Esquire Motelbetween Nov. 23, 2017and Dec. 3, 2017.

Police allege Farmer would go to the motel on the Bedford Highway when he was working night shifts.They set up a camera to record Farmerwhen they became aware of his alleged snooping.

Sgt. Nick Pepler, head of technical surveillance with the force, testifiedWednesday as prosecutors played video that showed Farmer walking behind the motel and peering inside windows.

"Every night shift without fail, he would go to the Esquire,"Peplertold the court. "And we saw him looking in windows."

Pepler saidFarmer would unscrew light bulbs that lit up the back of the motel so he'd be less visible.

Philip White, a property and maintenance worker with the Esquire, said he'd frequently have to screw the light bulbs back in.White testified that he'd chatted with Farmer from time to time.

"It was a surprise to see a police officer checking on the back of the motel," he said. "But it made us feel comfortable."

Uncommon activity for a police officer?

Farmer's lawyer, Joel Pink, challenged Pepler on the details during cross-examination.

Pink pressed Pepler for details on how close Farmerwould get to the windows and how long he would look inside. Pinkasked Peplerwhether it would be uncommon for a police officer to check the windows of a property with a reputation for prostitution, prowlers and drug dealing.

Pepler told Pink it wouldn't be uncommon, but he said no officer would ever conduct that kind of surveillance alone.Nor would an officer neglect to inform dispatch and keep a record of that kind of activity.

"If you leave a vehicle on foot, you update dispatch," Pepler said.

Pepler also testified that in 2017, the Esquire Motel had no such reputation among police officers.

Undercover operation

Pepler said on the night of Dec. 1,an undercover female police officer wearing a tank top and shorts was set up inside one of the rooms. The undercover officer was in radio contact with two otherofficers outside the motel.

Pepler saidFarmer approached the back window three times. Video surveillance captured by Halifax Regional Police showedFarmer unscrewing a nearby light bulb.

Farmer was charged five days later on Dec. 6.

He has been suspended with pay since he was charged and haspleaded not guilty to all charges.