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| NEWS > 08 November 2007 |
Other related articles:
County leaders take a hard lin
Cop theft case goes by the book
Right is right. Whether the alleged crime is as small as a former Port Huron police officer's use of a St. Clair County-issued gas card for personal use or much greater crimes, the law must be enforced.
David Fajardo is charged with embezzlement of less than $200. He admitted to using a sheriff department gas card for his own vehicle while working with the county's drug task force - and county officials are playing this matter by the book.
The case won't be tried by the St. Clair County Prosecutor's office nor will a county judg... Read more
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 Article sourced from
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Toronto Star - Ontario, Canada
08 November 2007
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
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Peel Regional Police
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Peel police seek investigation
Peel's Police Association has asked the Peel Police Services Board to bring in an outside agency to investigate criminal allegations made by a senior officer in a $5 million lawsuit filed against Peel Police Chief Mike Metcalf, two other senior officers, the force and the board.
But Board Chair Emil Kolb has told the association that the board has no intention of asking anybody to investigate the claims made by Inspector Steve Dolan in his legal action.
In the lawsuit, Dolan alleges criminal offences were committed by Metcalf, as well as Acting Deputy Chief Dan McDonald and Acting Supt. Blair Foley.
He claimed the offences involved an attempt to silence him from going public with allegations they tried to stage a coup d'etat against former Chief Noel Catney.
The lawsuit also alleges the three senior officers covered up a domestic assault allegedly committed by a now-retired senior officer.
The allegations must still be proven in court.
Bruce Chapman, interim president of the police association, said today they will ask the Ontario Civilian Association of Police Services to step in and probe the allegations if the board sticks by its decision not to bring in an outside agency.
Chapman informed Kolb in writing last week that the association would pursue every avenue available to get an outside agency to investigate the allegations of the lawsuit
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"The allegations contained in the statement of claim are deeply disturbing, and if substantiated by evidence, may well reveal serious misconduct by individuals at all levels of the organization," Chapman wrote in his letter of Nov. 1 to Kolb.
On Oct., 29, Kolb informed all association members that the board wasn't going to comply with Dolan's request for an outside agency to investigate his allegations. The board has indicated it has already reviewed the allegations and determined they are false.
On Tuesday, Kolb reiterated the board's decision in a letter to Chapman, essentially telling the association that the matter would be dealt with by the courts and their own legal counsel.
He told Chapman that he found his letter to be "deeply disappointing" and indicated that the force receives numerous claims against its officers yearly, all of whom are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
He said the board works with the force to separate "fact from fiction" in reviewing allegations made by fellow officers, most of which wind up without merit.
Kolb also accused Chapman of fueling the fire with his "loose and inflammatory" language.
"I can assure you that the board will provide to the chief of police the same rights, privileges and protections offered every other member of the police service named in the statement of claim," Kolb wrote.
"The board will fully and vigorously defend itself, Chief Metcalf and the other named members in the statement of claim.
"It will file its response and the facts will speak for themselves. The board continues to have full confidence in Chief Metcalf and his senior management team."
Chapman, however, insisted today in an interview that he and the association stood by its decision to get an outside agency involved.
"We made a request for an outside agency to investigate the allegations," Chapman said. "The board has indicated they're not prepared to do that."
Under the Police Services Act, Chapman said their next avenue would be to ask OCAP, a civilian agency that oversees police, to become involved.
"But we're not prepared to stop at that," Chapman said. "We're prepared to ask the minister of community safety and corrections to get involved."
Dolan, ironically, as an inspector, isn't a member of the association. But nearly 700 union members backed the association's decision earlier this week at a meeting called to discuss the current labour dispute.
A non-confidence motion directed at the management of the force was tabled at the meeting but then withdrawn, a police source said.
Meanwhile, Metcalf, responding to the lawsuit, wrote in an internal newsletter that he realized that his position is always open to "unproven" allegations.
"As an individual who occupies a high-profile public office, I am not immune to criticism and false accusations," he wrote.
"It may surprise you that we receive numerous claims a year accusing officers of conduct that is contrary to their oaths of office; that could be categorized as criminal behaviour or that amounts to a civil wrong against an individual."
Metcalf said Dolan's lawsuit was one of 61 civil actions currently outstanding.
"Many claims are eventually discontinued or dismissed with costs awarded to the board," Metcalf wrote.
"All claims against this police service and members of this organization are defended vigorously. The reputation and integrity of all of our members is important to defend."
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