A newspaper editor who wrote a scathing article claiming a local Mountie bullied him into a roadside breathalyzer test may be forced to eat his words after the RCMP revealed it has video of the incident in question.

Keith Lacey of the Osoyoos Times published a story Wednesday saying he was "treated like a criminal and presumed guilty until proven innocent" during a traffic stop last week.

Lacey said he went for dinner with his girlfriend, bought a bottle of wine at a neighbouring liquor store and was headed home when he was suddenly stopped by Cpl. Ryan S. McLeod.

The officer allegedly badgered him into a breathalyzer test without cause and humiliated him in front of his date, whom Lacey said "was so upset she got physically sick and was in tears hours later, just because [McLeod] believes he has the power to do whatever he likes."

The journalist says his revealed blood alcohol reading was "so low it was laughable," but the officer refused to show him any respect until he announced he would pen an editorial about the stop.

"I've been a journalist for 27 years and my integrity as a writer and reporter of the truth has never been questioned and I'm not going to let some stranger with a badge, gun and attitude take that away from me," Lacey wrote in the 1,404-word lambasting.

"This is a free country, not a police state."

But the RCMP says it has a different take of the roadside run-in, and it's backed up by the officer's dashboard camera.

In an open letter addressed to the editor of the Times, Supt. Ray Bernoties suggests it was the newspaperman who acted inappropriately.

Bernoties claims the yet-unreleased footage depicts McLeod conducting himself calmly and professionally, while at one point Lacey threatens: "I am the editor of the newspaper and you will see the powers that I have."

"Your allegations are very serious and certainly cast the officer, who you name nine times in your article, and the RCMP in a very negative light," Bernoties wrote.

"I suggest that we post this video online so the good people of Osoyoos and others can make their own determination of what occurred."

Bernoties even offers to personally drive to Osoyoos to screen the footage at his own expense to facilitate a public discussion on "the important issue of impaired driving."

"I look forward to a retraction or correction and to, potentially, facilitating the public's viewing of this video."

Lacey's editorial has since been yanked from the Osoyoos Times website, but a cached version is accessible online.

The editor told CTV News he stands by his characterization and welcomes the RCMP video's release.

"I'm not backing down from what I've done. I'm sick of bad cops," Lacey said. "I was completely 100-per-cent cooperative until I saw the ridiculously low reading, and then I was pissed off."

He says the paper plans to issue a clarification to his editorial, but not a retraction.