Montreal warned Toronto about drug officers
Toronto police officers focused only money, report says
Montreal police raised a red flag about allegedly corrupt Toronto drug squad officers in 1997, but to no avail, newly obtained documents show.
The since disbanded drug squad was the subject of Canada's largest-ever police corruption probe after complaints from drug dealers eventually triggered an internal investigation by a special task force.
A 2004 Montreal police document, obtained by CBC News and the Toronto Star, reveals that the force also alerted Toronto police to troubles in late 1997 after they had a "suspicious" encounter with two drug squad officers who seemed singularly focused on securing the cash from a suspect's safety deposit box.
The report marks the first evidence that law enforcement officials expressed concerns as early as the late 1990s about the infamous Toronto Police Service's Central Field Command Drug Squad. It wasn't until years later that a task force was formed and charges were laid in 2004 against six squad members for allegedly robbing drug dealers.
It raises questions about why police supervisors didn't investigate Montreal's informal complaint further.
"I think when an independent police agency, a credible police agency like the Montreal police, raises a red flag about behaviour, that they had some concern about behaviour, I think a lot should be done," said retired Toronto Sgt. James Cassells, who served on the special task force.
The incident began in early November 1997, when Toronto Det. John Schertzer's drug squad team arrested a drug dealer in Toronto after seizing five kilograms of cocaine smuggled from Montreal.
Schertzer's team seized a key to a Montreal bank safety deposit box. The team alerted Montreal police about the seizure and then travelled there to seek help gathering more evidence.
'Bewildering' case
When the detective arrived with colleague, Const. Steve Correia, he insisted their team would take the money back to Toronto.
John Schertzer A former detective sergeant and head of one of the drug squad teams, Schertzer was the only supervisory officer to be charged in the drug squad probe in 2004. Those charges were stayed in 2008. He retired from force in November, 2007. Disciplinary charges under the Police Act were withdrawn due to retirement. He now owns and operates a restaurant/bar in downtown Toronto.
Steve Correia Pending the outcome of the Crown's appeal to get a trial back on track, Toronto police continue to pay Correia, but he is suspended from duties.
His internal disciplinary charges were thrown out due to delays.
However, Montreal police were wary of Schertzer and Correia, refused to help them, and called Toronto police supervisors to complain.
Schertzer and Correia are two of six former Toronto drug officers who were charged in 2004, accused of a conspiracy to rob and beat drug suspects between 1995 and 1999 in what anti-corruption investigators have dubbed "a crime spree."
Criminal proceedings were stayed in early 2008 because of the "glacial pace of the prosecution," according to Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer. The former officers' lawyers, however, are back before Ontario's Court of Appeal on Monday after the Crown launched an appeal in hopes of getting another trial.
"[The Montreal incident] was a bewildering sort of case," said retired RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Neily, who led the task force.
"It's unusual to have one police service finding itself in a challenge assisting another police service. That in and of itself is not evidence, but it's unusual."
According to the 2004 document, Montreal officers insisted the cash be photographed, counted and delivered to a judge before securely transferring the cash to Toronto.
"[The two officers] did not even want to question [witnesses] or even look at the seized evidence directly related to their case. Their only interest was whatever contents were in the safe deposit boxes," the Montreal report says.
When the two Toronto officers refused to follow procedure, tensions mounted, and the Montreal police asked the duo to leave the city.
Link to rest:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/08/31/toronto-police-drug-squad-montreal582.html
Toronto police officers focused only money, report says
Montreal police raised a red flag about allegedly corrupt Toronto drug squad officers in 1997, but to no avail, newly obtained documents show.
The since disbanded drug squad was the subject of Canada's largest-ever police corruption probe after complaints from drug dealers eventually triggered an internal investigation by a special task force.
A 2004 Montreal police document, obtained by CBC News and the Toronto Star, reveals that the force also alerted Toronto police to troubles in late 1997 after they had a "suspicious" encounter with two drug squad officers who seemed singularly focused on securing the cash from a suspect's safety deposit box.
The report marks the first evidence that law enforcement officials expressed concerns as early as the late 1990s about the infamous Toronto Police Service's Central Field Command Drug Squad. It wasn't until years later that a task force was formed and charges were laid in 2004 against six squad members for allegedly robbing drug dealers.
It raises questions about why police supervisors didn't investigate Montreal's informal complaint further.
"I think when an independent police agency, a credible police agency like the Montreal police, raises a red flag about behaviour, that they had some concern about behaviour, I think a lot should be done," said retired Toronto Sgt. James Cassells, who served on the special task force.
The incident began in early November 1997, when Toronto Det. John Schertzer's drug squad team arrested a drug dealer in Toronto after seizing five kilograms of cocaine smuggled from Montreal.
Schertzer's team seized a key to a Montreal bank safety deposit box. The team alerted Montreal police about the seizure and then travelled there to seek help gathering more evidence.
'Bewildering' case
When the detective arrived with colleague, Const. Steve Correia, he insisted their team would take the money back to Toronto.
John Schertzer A former detective sergeant and head of one of the drug squad teams, Schertzer was the only supervisory officer to be charged in the drug squad probe in 2004. Those charges were stayed in 2008. He retired from force in November, 2007. Disciplinary charges under the Police Act were withdrawn due to retirement. He now owns and operates a restaurant/bar in downtown Toronto.
Steve Correia Pending the outcome of the Crown's appeal to get a trial back on track, Toronto police continue to pay Correia, but he is suspended from duties.
His internal disciplinary charges were thrown out due to delays.
However, Montreal police were wary of Schertzer and Correia, refused to help them, and called Toronto police supervisors to complain.
Schertzer and Correia are two of six former Toronto drug officers who were charged in 2004, accused of a conspiracy to rob and beat drug suspects between 1995 and 1999 in what anti-corruption investigators have dubbed "a crime spree."
Criminal proceedings were stayed in early 2008 because of the "glacial pace of the prosecution," according to Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer. The former officers' lawyers, however, are back before Ontario's Court of Appeal on Monday after the Crown launched an appeal in hopes of getting another trial.
"[The Montreal incident] was a bewildering sort of case," said retired RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Neily, who led the task force.
"It's unusual to have one police service finding itself in a challenge assisting another police service. That in and of itself is not evidence, but it's unusual."
According to the 2004 document, Montreal officers insisted the cash be photographed, counted and delivered to a judge before securely transferring the cash to Toronto.
"[The two officers] did not even want to question [witnesses] or even look at the seized evidence directly related to their case. Their only interest was whatever contents were in the safe deposit boxes," the Montreal report says.
When the two Toronto officers refused to follow procedure, tensions mounted, and the Montreal police asked the duo to leave the city.
Link to rest:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/08/31/toronto-police-drug-squad-montreal582.html
