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New PSA charges laid against city cop

Four Police Services Act charges have been laid against Cst. Sean Burns by the North Bay Police Service. Burns, who has been with the service since 1995, was charged with three counts of discreditable count and one count of deceit, said Insp.
Four Police Services Act charges have been laid against Cst. Sean Burns by the North Bay Police Service.

Burns, who has been with the service since 1995, was charged with three counts of discreditable count and one count of deceit, said Insp. Mark Montgomery, the prosecutor in the case.

The hearing into the charges will be adjudicated by Supt. Blair Foley, of the Peel Region Police, who Burns made an appearance in front of Monday at the police station.

An adjournment was called until June 1, at which time a date is expected to be selected for a PSA hearing.

Montgomery said the three discreditable conduct charges stem back to an incident in 1996, which sparked a complaint to police by a member of the public.

“Although this dates back to 1996,” Montgomery said, “our police service did not become aware of it until January of this year.”

The deceit charge relates to an incident in early 2004, Montgomery added, declining to provide details of the charges because a hearing is pending.

Burns already faces PSA charges and will be going on trial for criminal charges—criminal harassment, extortion, possession of a firearm at an unauthorized place and contravention of the Firearms Act—dating back to 1999.

But Montgomery said the newest PSA charges are unrelated.

Because there are no related criminal charges, Montgomery said, the police service can proceed immediately to the PSA hearing.

Burns was suspended with pay by former police chief George Berrigan.