Pubdate: Thu, 13 Feb 2003
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Jonathan Jenkins

DURHAM'S DRUG COPS PROBED

OPP Looking Into Complaint

The hunters are now the hunted.

Durham drug cops have the dubious distinction, along with their 
counterparts in Toronto, of being the focus of a criminal investigation by 
another police service.

"We've received a recent allegation of misconduct on the part of a small 
number of members of our Durham unit," Chief Kevin McAlpine said.

"We've asked the OPP to conduct a thorough and independent investigation of 
that."

McAlpine refused to detail the allegations or how many officers the 
complaint covers, except to say it was a series of charges made by one 
complainant in mid-January.

"All of that stuff is what the OPP will explore in detail with the 
complainant," McAlpine said. "Until they have a chance to do that we just 
don't want to prejudice the investigation."

All of the officers involved are still on the job, although some of them 
are no longer with the drug squad due to scheduled staff changes, he said.

"It's the beginning of the year so some people have gone on to other jobs," 
he said. "To attribute any of that directly to this would just be 
inappropriate."

Doug Cavanaugh, president of the Durham Regional Police Association, met 
with the chief yesterday and asked the case be looked at thoroughly but 
quickly.

"Sometimes these things hang around for great lengths of time and probably 
cause more damage than the allegations themselves," he said.

Toronto's now-dissolved central field command drug squad has been the focus 
of lawsuits and investigations dating back to 1999. RCMP Supt. John Neily 
has been conducting his own probe since 2001.
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