Albert Foulston, shown here in an undated court sketch, was to be released Friday. (CBC)

The man convicted of manslaughter in the 1990 slaying of Edmonton police Const. Ezio Faraone was expected to get his freedom Friday, although corrections officials would not confirm whether he had been released from prison.

Albert Foulston, 46, was scheduled to be released from prison Sunday because he has served the statutory two-thirds of a his 20-year sentence. But, corrections officials usually release a prisoner on a Friday, if their release date falls on the weekend.

The National Parole Board has attached a number of conditions to Foulston's release. He must stay away from drugs and alcohol, and live in a halfway house, where he must return every night.

Foulston has been assessed as a moderate to high-risk to reoffend. Last month, a parole board spokesman said there was little the board could do about Foulston's release beyond imposing conditions, because Foulston has served the required amount of his sentence under Canadian law.

The idea of Foulston being released sparked outrage among Edmonton police officers, and even prompted police Chief Mike Boyd to take the unusual step of asking the chairman of the parole board and the commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada to review the case.

The president of the Edmonton Police Association, Tony Simioni, said Foulston's release is upsetting to police officers.

"If there is a poster child for the rescindment of mandatory supervision at two-thirds of the sentence, it is Albert Foulston," Simioni said Friday.

"He continued to commit crimes and offences while in prison with no regard whatsoever to rehabilitation. No remorse. This is a major concern."

Premier Ed Stelmach also weighed in on Foulston's release, when asked about it by reporters on Friday.

"He killed a police officer and he should stay in jail forever," he said.

Foulston was the getaway driver when his partner Jerry Crews shot the 33-year-old Faraone dead after a botched bank robbery in June 1990.

At the time of the slaying, Foulston was out on parole, having racked up a number of violent convictions since he was 19.

According to Correctional Service of Canada documents, Foulston has been involved in about 100 incidents behind bars, including fights and assaults on staff.

In 2005, Foulston's previous chance at freedom lasted just one day when he was found using drugs.

Three years ago, Foulston was transferred from a medium-security prison to a maximum-security facility after he was caught injecting drugs in his cell.