TORONTO COPS FACE CHARGES IN GROW-OP RAIDS

2 Officers, 3 Prison Guards Arrested

Two uniformed Toronto police constables face multiple criminal
charges, including organized-crime allegations, for their role in
what investigators describe as an elaborate marijuana-cultivation
operation that ran for at least two years and involved dozens of "grow houses."

In early morning raids that scooped up a total of 23 people, mostly
in York Region, three prison guards who work at the Toronto West
Detention Centre were also arrested, as was a real estate agent
accused of buying properties in York Region for the express purpose
of turning them into marijuana factories.

"This is a betrayal of all the hard-working decent men and women in
the Toronto Police Service and of all police," a grim-faced Chief
Bill Blair told an afternoon press conference at police headquarters.

"It's a huge disappointment to us."

Both in their 30s and both York Region residents, the two officers
are Constable Patrick Lee of North York's 31 Division and Constable
Kevin Bourne of the east downtown 51 Division, with eight and nine
years service, respectively.

Along with the other accused, they were behind bars last night
pending bail hearings in Newmarket this morning.

Each officer is accused of participating in an offence for the
benefit of a criminal organization, breach of trust, and several
drug-related charges, including conspiracy to produce marijuana.

In addition, Constable Lee is charged with obstruction of justice and
laundering the proceeds of crime.

Constable Bourne also faces a count of growing marijuana for the
purpose of exporting it, but that appears to stem from "an isolated
incident," said Superintendent Jim Ramer, who heads the TPS's
Professional Standards Investigative Unit, the in-house disciplinary
section that used to be known as Internal Affairs.

Canadian-grown marijuana is regularly shipped to the United States,
sometimes in exchange for cocaine and weapons. But in this instance,
most of the marijuana was being sold in the greater Toronto area,
Supt. Ramer said.

In all, 63 search warrants were served on houses, businesses and
several vehicles in co-ordinated 6 a.m. raids that police said netted
$60,000 in cash, 17 pounds of marijuana, sophisticated growing
equipment and smaller amounts of other drugs, including ecstasy and steroids.

A cream-coloured Escalade was parked yesterday outside the two-storey
grey brick home in Maple, north of Vaughan, believed to be the home
of Constable Lee. Neighbours said about 10 police cruisers blocked
roads around the residence at about 7 a.m. Plainclothes officers
entered the residence with handcuffs dangling from their belts,
according to a neighbour who asked not to be named.

At the Thornhill townhouse complex where Constable Bourne's parents
live, neighbour Audrey Gibson said she could not believe that the
officer named in the massive drug bust is the Kevin Bourne she knows.

"He was always pleasant to us, he's a fantastic guy," she said.

Constable Bourne moved out years ago and started a family of his own,
but he still regularly visited his parents in their small red-brick
townhouse. Mr. Bourne's parents were taking care of his baby today,
Ms. Gibson said.

Shortly before the charges against the two constables were announced,
senior officers at the 51 and 31 Division police stations summoned
rank-and-file colleagues to brief them about the bad news.

"Obviously this would have been a shock," a police source said.

Launched by York Regional Police, the investigation stretched back to
February of last year.

"What we found was that we had a very elaborate criminal organization
that required a very intensive investigation and we believe we have
[caught] everybody involved," Supt. Ramer said.

The names of the other accused will be released today.

The delay stems from the fact that police in York are still tidying
up loose ends, and had wanted to wait another 24 hours before
announcing the charges.

However, there was concern that the names of the two policemen would
leak out, another police source said, requesting anonymity.

Over the years, a handful of Toronto police officers have been
charged with assorted drug offences, but this appears to be the first
instance in which wholesale marijuana cultivation is alleged.

Chief Blair stressed his view that what he termed "this corruption"
has been contained.

"We do our business with honesty and integrity. If we didn't, we
wouldn't be able to maintain the public trust in us," he said.

"Certainly we are disappointed, but I am completely confident that
the criminal conduct alleged here does not extend [within the police
force] beyond these two individuals."

The investigation was unusually intense, Supt. Ramer said.

Beyond wiretaps and surveillance, investigators secured permission to
intercept communications, which requires a special court order.

Supt. Ramer would not discuss a suggestion that the three jail guards
arrested yesterday are accused of distributing marijuana at the
631-bed Toronto West Detention Centre in Rexdale, where they work.

"That's something we'll have to deal with at trial."

The two accused officers have been suspended with pay, as required
under Ontario's Police Services Act.

That status could last for months or years, depending on how the
court case unfolds, and Chief Blair made plain it was not an
arrangement with which he is comfortable.

"I have asked that the law be changed, and the Association of Chiefs
of Police have also asked that the law be changed," he said.

Toronto Mayor David Miller called the arrests "a very sad
development," but added that they also offer assurance that "on the
extremely rare occasion that there is a problem, the police service
finds it and acts."

With a force close to 5,500 uniformed officers and 2,000 civilians,
he said "it is a huge organization. ... We expect them to uphold the
highest standards."

[sidebar]

PRIOR CONVICTIONS

Within the Toronto Police Service, the arrest of officers and
ex-officers on drug-related charges is unusual but not unknown.

In November, 2001, Robert Kelly, a drug squad detective constable
with 12 years service, was charged with possession of a narcotic for
the purposes of trafficking. In June, 2003, he pleaded guilty to
possessing 3.15 grams of cocaine.

Constable Richard Staley was a 27-year TPS veteran who became a crack
cocaine addict and was convicted in 2002 of 13 offences, including
breach of trust, obstruction of justice and firearms offences. He was
found dead in an Orillia motel room in February, 2006.

Abraham (Ace) Bailey retired from the Toronto service in 1996 after
21 years but was charged with selling cocaine and heroin in 1999. He
was sentenced to 44 months in prison.