COP CZAR'S ABOUT-FACE

Police Board Chairman Urges 'A Full Airing' Of Alleged T.O.
Drug Squad Corruption

The top civilian overseer of Toronto Police conceded yesterday it
would be "irresponsible" not to hold a public inquiry into cop
wrongdoing amid "serious" allegations by a whistle-blower that bad
deeds were either minimized, ignored or covered up.

In a remarkable about-face from a few months ago, Toronto Police
Services Board chairman Dr. Alok Mukherjee said if it were not for
criminal allegations before the courts, "I would have no hesitation in
ordering a full public inquiry."

"It is very, very important that the people of this city are assured
that if there is wrongdoing ... the wrongdoers are dealt with and
dealt with under the full scope of the law," Mukherjee said.

But he added that "we have to be very careful not to jeopardize" the
ongoing court trial of six ex-drug squad cops.

Mukherjee said once the criminal proceedings end, he will ask
Ontario's attorney general -- currently Liberal Michael Bryant -- to
order a public inquiry.

"I am giving you my own personal view ... we need a full airing of all
the issues," Mukherjee said, adding that he believes his board members
are also "on side."

"We need a public discussion to get all the answers to the questions.
Public trust is of the utmost importance. We have an expectation that
there is no bad conduct," said Mukherjee, who was appointed to the
board's premier post by Mayor David Miller.

When former drug squad corruption task force Sgt. Jim Cassells went
public with his demands for a public inquiry in May, Mukherjee said he
doubted there was any truth to Cassells' allegations and he had total
faith in the integrity of Toronto Police professional standards.

Sources say the allegations include thefts by a second drug team and a
suspected cop cocaine ring both went unprobed.

Mukherjee credited yesterday's sudden change of mind to the issues
raised by Cassells, followed by retired Sgt. Neal Ward's move to
publicly support Cassells, saying Cassells' allegations were "mostly
. quite correct," as well as stories by the Toronto Sun and CBC Radio.

Mukherjee said he wants internal affairs officers to talk with Ward
now.

"Ward's comments now raise some questions. I think we need to know
from him directly," Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee's turn-about also coincides with his getting a draft copy of
a "procedural review" ordered by Chief Bill Blair. Sources say the
scope was narrow.

Mukherjee promised it will be made public after it goes to the board
Tuesday.

Cassells and Ward were both members of an RCMP-led special task force
created in August 2001 to look into allegations of corruption in the
Toronto Police Central Field Command (CFC) drug squad.

The 25-member special task force, headed by RCMP Staff Supt. John
Neily, ended its investigative phase in January 2004 and laid a total
of 40 criminal charges against six former members of a CFC drug squad.

Staff Sgt. John Schertzer and four subordinates -- Steve Corriea, Ray
Pollard, Ned Maodus and retired cop Joe Miched -- were committed to
trial in June on charges that they were part of a conspiracy to steal
drugs and cash from suspected dealers. Rick Benoit was sent to trial
on allegations he took part in an assault.

Another four former drug squad cops were named as unindicted
co-conspirators.

The 10 cops are among 13 who face Police Services Act charges on
allegations dating back to the late 1990s.

None of the allegations have been tested in court and all officers
deny any wrongdoing.

While the case is scheduled to go to trial in January 2008, it faces a
barrage of defence legal challenges, among them a motion for dismissal
on the grounds of unreasonable delay.

As revealed in the Sun yesterday, the Neily task force was created by
former chief -- now OPP commissioner -- Julian Fantino in August 2001,
shortly after Toronto Police internal affairs Insp. Tony Corrie
recommended that a task force should be formed in order to bring the
issues to the "forefront" and at the same time "avert" an embarrassing
public inquiry.

Mukherjee disagreed that the Corrie report was an attempt to duck a
public inquiry, or that it somehow prejudged the outcome of the
special task force probe. He suggested Corrie was being "fairly
straightforward ... his concern was that public trust in the police
needs to be reinstated."

Schertzer and seven other former drug cops have named Fantino, Neily,
Corrie and more than 20 other cops in a $116-million "malicious
prosecution" civil court lawsuit.

Fantino refused comment yesterday, saying it would be "inappropriate"
while charges were still before the courts.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty suggested all questions should go to
the Toronto Police Services Board.

Miller also refused comment, saying he will leave discussion for
Tuesday's board meeting.