2012-05-24
The province’s police complaints watchdog has recommended 31 officers be charged with misconduct during the G20 summit, two of them in senior positions, Toronto police said Wednesday.
The misconduct charges stem from investigations conducted by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, which also released a scathing systemic review last week.
Altogether, the OIPRD has directed that 36 tribunal hearings be held, according to police spokesperson Kevin Masterman.
It is possible for one officer to face multiple G20-related charges and therefore face several hearings — for example, Const. Babak Andalib-Goortani, the officer who has also been criminally charged with assault in the high-profile case of Adam Nobody, is facing three disciplinary charges under the Police Services Act. One is for using unnecessary force; the other two are for refusing direct orders to answer questions in interviews with the Toronto police’s Professional Standards branch.
The Star has previously reported the names of two senior officers who face G20-related charges stemming from OIPRD investigations. One is Supt. Mark Fenton, the commanding officer who ordered the kettling at Queen St. W. and Spadina Ave. The other is Insp. Gary Meissner, the officer at Queen’s Park charged with operating the LRAD, or long range acoustical device, also known as a sound cannon.
Neither officer has yet been formally charged.
The OIPRD also found evidence to substantiate misconduct charges against two other senior officers in charge of running the prisoner processing centre: Staff Insp. Frank Ruffolo and Supt. Michael Farrar. Both officers are now retired, however, and cannot be charged under the Police Services Act.
Because there is normally a six-month deadline for laying misconduct charges, Police Chief Bill Blair must obtain approval for an extension from the Police Services Board before any charges related to the June 2010 summit can be laid.
Masterman said the chief has already obtained approval to proceed with 28 of the G20-related hearings. The other eight are awaiting approval, he said.
When the OIPRD deems an allegation of misconduct to be serious, the arm’s-length body forwards the complaint to the police service in question so charges can be laid. The charges are laid under the Police Services Act and are not criminal.
The accused officer then attends a tribunal hearing, which acts much like a court of law, where officers may defend themselves against charges levied against them. If the charges are upheld, penalties range from docked pay to losing their jobs.