Winnipeg Police Officer Charged With Drug Trafficking, Indignity to Human Remains

A Winnipeg Police Service shoulder badge in Winnipeg on Sept. 2, 2021. The Canadian Press/David Lipnowski

The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) has filed multiple charges against a veteran officer, including those pertaining to drug trafficking and indignity to human remains, following the conclusion of a 16-month investigation.

A second officer is also facing charges in connection with the investigation.

Veteran officer Const. Elston Bostock, who has been with the force for 21 years, has been arrested for a second time in less than a year, Winnipeg Police Chief Gene Bowers said during an Aug. 7 press conference.

Bostock is facing multiple charges, including indignity to human remains, knowingly distributing an intimate image, theft under $5,000, breach of trust, obstruction of justice, and multiple drug possession charges.

Bostock was previously arrested in November 2024 and charged with four counts of breach of trust, obstructing a police officer, two counts of obstructing justice, and theft under $5,000, following an investigation launched in May by the WPS professional standards unit, police said.

Const. Vernon Strutinsky, a 15-year member of the police force, was also recently charged with one count of breaking and entering to commit an indictable offence and breach of trust, Bowers said. None of the charges against either officer have been proven in court.

The chief said the charges laid against two officers have impacted the public’s trust in the police service.

“These are very serious allegations which go directly against the values of the Winnipeg Police Service, tarnishing our reputation, eroding the public’s confidence within our service,” he said. “It’s a very sad day for the service.”

Both officers have been removed from duty and will be facing internal disciplinary proceedings, police said. Bostock remains in police custody and Strutinsky was released on an undertaking.

Bostock was released from custody after his first arrest in November, and police continued to investigate and obtained search warrants to search his phone and home.  

Investigators have now laid an additional 10 charges connected to five more incidents, Deputy Chief Cam Mackid said.

Investigators connected Bostock to 84 suspected drug transactions that date back to 2016, according to WPS. The alleged drug deals occurred both while he was on and off duty.  

He was also charged with causing indignity to human remains after he responded to a sudden death call in May 2021. Bostock is accused of taking a photo on his phone of a partially dressed deceased woman and sharing it with someone else.

Bowers said both he and MacKid met with the family of the woman to apologize for the occurrence.

WPS investigators also accused Bostock of “continuously” stealing ammunition during firearm training days and giving it to a third party, and of collecting confidential information from police databases and giving it to third parties. Police also said there were “numerous occurrences” where Bostock would contact other officers and request that traffic tickets be “voided.”

Strutinsky is facing charges from an incident where he partnered with Bostock. The two are accused of evicting tenants while dressed in full uniform on duty, Mackid said. Evictions are not a police responsibility.