Hearing called into police assault allegations

CURRENTLY WRITING
A Police Services Act of Ontario hearing has been scheduled for May 17 for four North Bay Police Services officers in relation to an alleged assault of a prisoner.

One of the officers has also been charged with assault, and the other three, including a supervisor, were charged under the Police Services Act with offences relating to the manner in which the assault was reported.

North Bay Police Service Chief George Berrigan said the officer charged with the criminal offence had allegedly struck the prisoner to the area of the head shortly after his arrest and while he was handcuffed and in custody.

The officers remain on dutyand their names are not being released.

“I’m very disappointed this has happened,” Berrigan said, “but the greater issue is how we’re handling this thing. Obviously this isn’t good for the police service, but the public should have confidence in us and the way this is being handled.”

Berrigan said the victim hadn’t complained about the alleged treatment, but the matter had come up in the course of employer-employee relations, spurring an investigation into it.

While the Police Services matter will be heard next month, criminal proceedings will likely take longer, Berrigan said.

There hasn’t been a decision yet on whether the Crown will stay the Police Service charges for the officer charged criminally until the criminal matter is dealt with, Berrigan said.

He also said the criminal matter could be slower to get underway because the Crown could seek to bring an outside judge in to preside.

North Bay Crown attorney John Holland was out of his office Monday and could not be reached for comment at posting time.

Sgt. Mike Tarini, president of the North Bay Police Association, said he was “surprised” but anxious to see the matter settled “as quickly as possible.”

“In our minds this alleged occurrence is an isolated incident and our members don’t tolerate this type of behaviour and are still carrying on their duties in a professional matter,” Tarini said.

“Unfortunately these things happen but we hope it will have a successful conclusion.”

Penalties under the Police Services Act run from loss of pay to dismissal, Tarini said.

Another North Bay Police Service officer is also facing criminal charges.

During a preliminary hearing in January, The Nugget reported, Justice Louisette Duchesneau-McLachlan, of the Ontario Court of Justice, ruled sufficient evidence had been presented for Cst. Sean Burns to be tried on five-year old extortion and stalking charges.