COPS AND COKE

Toronto Sun | Wednesday, January 22, 2003 | ALAN CAIRNS

[SandfleaCSC]

A veteran Toronto police officer who once headed a drug squad is one of several cops who last spring took a secret "package" to stave off criminal prosecution, The Toronto Sun has learned.

The popular officer, who during a stellar career has dodged bullets and worked on huge cases, went into rehab after confessing to a decade-long cocaine habit, sources say.

The officer's case is being treated as a "disease" similar to alcoholism, sources say, and he has spent several months in drug therapy while on sick leave.

Toronto lawyer Edward Sapiano who has often represented accused drug dealers said he was "stunned" when told of the secret deal by The Sun.

"There is obviously one law for the police and one law for the rest of us," Sapiano said.

The revelation that an unspecified number of Toronto drug cops went into rehab amid findings of "serious criminal wrongdoing" is contained in a $116-million civil lawsuit filed against Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino and 22 other police officials, prosecutors and politicians by eight former drug squad cops.

The eight officers were part of the now-defunct central field command drug squad that is at the centre of an RCMP-led task force into alleged corruption.

The eight, who had charges against them -- theft, fraud and forgery -- stayed last February, allege their lives are in tatters because of the allegations.

They allege an outraged Fantino "interfered" after two separate internal affairs probes came up empty-handed, first demanding that charges be laid and then later calling in the RCMP.

The lawsuit contains allegations that have not yet been tested in court.

The probe led to criminal charges against one northwest field command cop, the suit claims, who on more than one occasion had asked to be withdrawn from the drug squad because of "substance abuse" problems but was left in the unit.

While the officer is not named, court documents state that the RCMP-led task force arrested northwest field command Det. Const. Robert Kelly Nov. 16, 2001 and charged him with trafficking cocaine, possession of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking and breach of trust.

According to the statement of claim, the "package" was devised by Fantino and RCMP Chief Supt. John Neily, who was picked to lead the 25-member task force by longtime Fantino friend, RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli.

RCMP-LED PROBE

While Neily considered laying "serious"criminal charges against other officers, the lawsuit claims, he and Fantino "concurred that the other officers could escape criminal charges" if they took the "package."

Sapiano, whose allegations of drug cops stealing cash and drugs from dealers prompted the RCMP-led probe, said the secret deals suggest "a whole separate parallel justice system has been established for police officers".

Sapiano said it is "mindboggling" to think such a high-profile officer could have a decade-long habit while working daily with officers who are "trained to detect" drug use.

Sapiano said the man likely secured "more than a century" in prison terms for drug users when "he was doing the same thing they were doing."

When asked about the seriousness of drug addiction among police officers, Ontario's deputy coroner Dr. Jim Cairns said after off-duty officers were found dead or unconscious in the early 1990s, his office sent a warning to Toronto and other forces about the dangers of leaving undercover officers in drug squads too long.

Cairns said the issue of mandatory substance abuse tests for drug squad officers was raised, but it didn't lead to anything.

Toronto Police spokesman Rob Knapper refused comment on the drug-addicted officers, saying "we do not disclose anything relating to personnel issues."

Fantino refused to confirm anything, saying it would be "inappropriate" for him to discuss "personnel issues."

Fantino said "speaking in general terms," he has always been "vigilant about the vulnerability of our people."

Fantino said many functions in policing carry risk, especially drug work. He noted that many major American cities have drug screening in place, but he does not see it as possible in Toronto.

"I would only want to see this done if it is done to protect our people, their families ... I wouldn't want it perceived as anything to be used or abused," the chief said.

The officer has not been named in any civil court allegations of corruption or brutality, nor was he part of any drug squad when the RCMP probed the northwest field command.

[SandfleaCSC]

Sigh

[Support Free Republic]

God Bless America! God Bless This Man! Some of us VRWC volunteers think freedom is worth fighting for.
	Please join us. Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Mulder]

Crooked cops?

I don't believe it.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The officer's case is being treated as a "disease" similar to alcoholism, sources say, and he has spent several months in drug therapy while on sick leave.

This goes on while a civilian would lose his/her job and face felony prosecution. But America doesn't have a caste system where DNC officers/high-dollar-donors, entertainers, and cops are on the upper-echelon, does it?

They get "punished" by paid vacation where they sit in a cushy classroom telling war stories about things that Joe WorkingGuy gets sent to prison for.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Chicks with guns rule, too.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Piss-me-off alert!!

[Porterville]

[agitator]

I'm shocked! Shocked to find that there's gambling going on here!

:)

[ex-Texan]

The police are often put tn harm's way by their profession. Some undercover cops have major problems with addiction. Some have intermitent problems with addiction. Drug investigation teams often rotate the detectives most at risk for addiction, because everyone is taking a Big Risk all the time. The war on drugs creates casualties as it rolls forward .... Think it may be time to test new procedures and new lines of attack.

If you have not seen the new film 'Nark' I recommend that you check it out.

[SandfleaCSC]

Hopefully it is better than "Rush".

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

There's more at risk than addiction, too. I've read accounts of cops from corrupt departments who have put forth interesting portrayals of their fellow cops. More than one cop has observed that "you won't find a narc cop that doesn't have $1000 in his pocket at all times."

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Sapiano said it is "mindboggling" to think such a high-profile officer could have a decade-long habit while working daily with officers who are "trained to detect" drug use.

Pull your head out, Slopiano. When you know how your fellow cops are being trained, it isn't too hard to find ways to defeat that training. And, as important as it is to know what fellow cops are looking for, it's just as important to know what they aren't looking for. That's how you really exploit them.

[ex-Texan]

'Nark' .... Rating: **** or A+

Featuring: Jason Patric , Ray Liotta , Busta Rhymes
Directed By: Joe Carnahan
Written By: Ray Liotta, Michelle Grace
Produced By: Paramount Pictures

Jason Patric should become a Major Star based on his performance. Ray Liotta deserves a nomination for his acting and for his script.

Nick Tellis is a recovering drug addict. But staying clean is not so easy for this Detroit narcotics officer when the police department reinstates him in order to investigate an elusive 'narc' squad homicide. After a rookie cop is mysteriously killed in the line of duty, the police department teams Tellis up with the dead cop's partner, the volatile Lieutenant Henry Oak, to solve the murder. Soon the two of them find themselves crawling through the mean streets of Detroit. Their probative investigation leads them through filthy drug dens, crack houses, and alleyways to track the killer, but these all too familiar surroundings plague Tellis like a nightmare. As Tellis gets closer to revealing the truth behind the murder, he finds himself in jeopardy of losing his family, his dignity, and his life.-

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Jason Patric, who was also in Rush. Interesting. I'll check it out.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Hey, check this out!

[ex-Texan]

'A drunk with a gun' came out of my speakers when I shifted to the next page. Only problem I have is all the allegations are pure, unsupported hearsay.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Take a look at the rest of his website, starting HERE. There is a fair amount of heresay, but this guy also has a lot of newspaper articles to back up what he is saying. The stuff about the brass' drunken brawls and theft of drug money cannot be proven, but it is a fact that a lot of higher ups in North Bergen, NJ are getting busted for corruption.

[Monty22]

A complete lack of morality or purpose leads to this. It does in cops or the rest of society.

Also, they'll link this with guns, as if guns by default are the same as drug usage.

[tpaine]

--- they'll link this with guns, as if guns by default are the same as drug usage.


Connecting the War on Guns & Drugs [my title]
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/820965/posts