Four Toronto Police Officers Charged Other Cases to Be Probed

TORONTO - The hits just keep coming for Toronto cops.

The already low morale among police officers was dealt another blow Thursday with the news that four of their colleagues are charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.

“It’s definitely having an impact on morale, but the officers who work in this city will keep doing their job to the best of their ability,” Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack said.
He said cops can’t help but be concerned about how the public perceives them in the wake of the criminal charges for allegedly planting heroin during a bust and lying under oath at Nguyen Son Tran’s trial.

But McCormack reminded citizens that Const. Jeffrey Tout, Det.-Const. Benjamin Elliott, Const. Michael Taylor and Det.-Const. Fraser Douglas are innocent until proven guilty.

Chief Mark Saunders announced the charges at police headquarters first thing in the morning — one day after Const. Tash Baiati was charged under the Police Services Act for shooting up a suspected stolen car last fall; two days after the chief launched an internal investigation because police were accused of ignoring the Crown’s advice when they charged a Brazilian soccer star with sex assault; and three days after Const. James Forcillo was convicted of attempted murder for the shooting death of Sammy Yatim in 2013.

“It’s been an anomaly week when it comes to our service,” the city’s top cop said.

Saunders said professional standards investigators will “scrutinize” other cases involving the accused officers to ensure there was no misconduct.

McCormack said the probe will likely include “a significant” number of cases.

“But unfortunately this is what has to be done when there are allegations of this nature,” he said.

The police association boss applauded the chief for maintaining his promise of transparency and said the charges show cops are capable of investigating their fellow officers.

One veteran cop, who asked not to be named, said it’s unfortunate all the negative police news came out the same week.

“That impacts public perception, making it appear these things happen all the time,” the officer said. “But in reality these incidents occurred over two years.

“It’s very frustrating.”

The officer also noted the four cops are actually accused of “moving drugs” they allegedly found in the car, “not planting drugs.”

“It’s not like they’re accused of grabbing a bag of heroin from a cruiser and dumping it on the dashboard.”

Sukanya Pillay, executive director and general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said laying charges against the officers “sends an important signal to the public that no one is above the law.”

“Accountability and ending impunity are vital to a free democracy and to Canadians.”

Const. Jeffrey Tout:
•41 years old
•17 years of service
•Assigned to 55 Division, Coxwell Ave. and Dundas St. E.
•Recognized for his role in Project Outback, a 2010 counterfeit goods bust
•Accused of providing false testimony in court
•Charged with two counts each of obstructing justice and perjury
•Suspended with pay

Det.-Const. Benjamin Elliott:
•32 years old
•Nine years of service
•Assigned to 55 Division
•Accused of providing false testimony in court
•Charged with three counts each of obstructing justice and perjury
•Suspended with pay

Const. Michael Taylor:
•34 years old
•11 years of service
•Assigned to 51 Division, Parliament and Front Sts.
•Accused of providing false testimony in court
•Faces two counts of obstructing justice and one count of perjury
•Suspended with pay

Det.-Const. Fraser Douglas:
•37 years old
•14 years of service
•Assigned to 55 Division
•Helped prevent a potential killing spree in the Beaches on June 23, 2004. A man with loaded guns and bad intentions surrendered to him, the Globe and Mail reported the next day
•City council commended him for “his quick actions in bringing to an end what could have been a fatal incident”
•Accused of providing false testimony in court
•Charged with two counts each of obstructing justice and perjury
•Suspended with pay

Please share this