Saskatoon·UpdatedA Saskatoon police officer who was fired because of a friend’s association with the Hells Angels says he is still trying to figure out exactly how he lost his job.Former police sergeant testifies at appeal hearingDan Zakreski · CBC News · Posted: Sep 19, 2025 4:04 PM EDT | Last Updated: 40 minutes agoFormer Saskatoon Police Service sergeant Robbie Taylor waits to testify Friday at the appeal into his dismissal. (Dan Zakreski/CBC)Robbie Taylor says he still doesn’t know why he lost his job.The veteran sergeant was dismissed from the Saskatoon Police Service in March. Taylor disputed the firing and the appeal hearing has been underway in Saskatoon this week. Individuals ranging from former colleagues to the current chief of police have all testified before hearing officer Ronni Nordal.On Friday, Nordal heard the last of the witnesses and evidence. None have disputed Taylor’s competence as an officer. Since becoming a cop in 2002, the 55-year-old has worked on patrol, undercover, in surveillance, in the sex crimes unit and investigating frauds.But rather, he lost his job because of a friendship. One of Taylor’s friends is an associate of the Hells Angels, which Chief Cameron McBride testified earlier this week “placed our organization at risk of being perceived as corrupt.”Under cross-examination, McBride said there is no evidence — circumstantial or otherwise — that Taylor inappropriately accessed Saskatoon Police Service databases or leaked private information. He also said he’s not aware of evidence implicating the associate in any crimes.Previous witnesses testified that Taylor did not hide the friendship. A publication ban prevents identifying Taylor’s friend.Traffic stop addressedOn Friday, Taylor was asked about an episode referenced earlier in the hearing. In 2023, Taylor had tried to intervene when another officer was giving the associate a ticket after a traffic stop, which McBride had called an offer of “special treatment.”Taylor said, “I’m not going minimize how stupid it was.”He said he texted the officer because the vehicle his friend was driving was one that the friend had loaned to Hells Angels members and it would have been caught on surveillance.”He’s not Hells Angels,” Taylor recalled telling the officer.”Enforce all you want … but don’t treat him like he’s in the [Hells Angels] program.”The Hells Angels clubhouse in Saskatoon. (Dan Zakreski/CBC)During his testimony, Taylor also described how his personal circumstances defined how he approached policing.Taylor has two brothers. One is also a police officer in Saskatoon but the other, younger brother died of a drug overdose in Ontario in 2017. He had served time in prison but, when released, could not get a job because of his criminal record.”He just wanted a job after prison,” Taylor testified through tears.As a police officer, Taylor said he believed he could have a positive impact in the community by seeing people as people — not criminals. He spoke about people he assisted through rehabilitation, several of whom came to support him Friday at the hearing.Met associate nearly 20 years agoUnder questioning by his lawyer, Brian Pfefferle, Taylor described meeting the Hells Angels associate almost two decades ago when the young man worked at a cellphone business. He did work on Taylor’s phone and they became friends when Taylor would return for tech support or upgrades.The very first time they met, the man told Taylor that he had a criminal record for marijuana trafficking from 2008 and that he’d served a conditional sentence.Over the next decade, Taylor came to know the man’s partner and two children. In 2021, the man came into a significant amount of money.Taylor said he never asked for, or accepted, money from his friend.”I’ve got money,” Taylor said he told the friend.”I don’t want to be beholden to you. I still want to be able to butt heads.”Taylor had taken several trips to Europe over the years with work and military friends. The man joined Taylor on a trip to Ireland in 2024 because he now had money. Taylor said the pair split all costs.Taylor was also aware of the man’s association with the Hells Angels. He told his friend that hanging out with the members was a bad idea.”I know the Hells Angels are not good people,” Taylor said. “They are not your friends.”After his dismissal, Taylor said he confronted his friend about whether he had been engaged with criminal activity “and had pulled the wool over my eyes.” The man said no, and Taylor believed him.None of the police witnesses who testified this week suggested the friend was involved in criminal activity.Taylor spoke about the impact of losing his job.”My life has been destroyed and I didn’t do a damn thing wrong — the chief said it,” he said.He also referenced how it affected his friend.”His world changed dramatically when I got fired,” he said.”Because he’s been told he’s a piece of s–t who can’t hang out with a cop.”Abuse of process application rejectedAt the beginning of Friday’s session, hearing officer Nordal made a brief statement rejecting an application the defence made that alleged abuse of process. Written reasons will be part of the final decision at the conclusion of the hearing, Nordal said.The defence had argued Taylor should be immediately reinstated after they learned during McBride’s testimony that the previous chief, Troy Cooper, had known about the incident where Taylor tried to intervene in a traffic stop involving his associate, but decided against further investigation or discipline.Taylor’s lawyers said that information should have been included in their disclosure, but was not.The next step is for the lawyers to make final arguments. No date has yet been set.ABOUT THE AUTHORDan Zakreski is a reporter for CBC Saskatoon.
Fired Saskatoon cop Robbie Taylor says he’s still mystified over grounds for dismissal
