OFFICERS' ARRESTS TAINT CASES

Drug Prosecutions Are In Jeopardy, Police, Lawyers Say

Yesterday's arrests of five veteran Toronto police officers are just the
latest in a number of high-profile cases in which city officers have found
themselves charged with being on the wrong side of the law.

Aside from the growing embarrassment, the allegations have prompted the
unravelling of serious cases involving drug suspects and have placed many
more in jeopardy.

Charges in at least a dozen major drug cases involving certain members of
central field command drug teams were stayed late last year.

There are those in the legal community - police, crown attorneys and
defence lawyers - who predict a much larger spinoff effect on cases where
charged officers played major roles.

David Littlefield, a lawyer with the federal justice department in Toronto,
said drug cases involving the five officers will each be examined to see
whether they should continue.

"The only thing we're going to do at this point is to make sure that the
defence is aware of this and obtain disclosure as requested, and evaluate
on a case by case basis whether or not the prosecution should proceed,"
said Littlefield.

According to sources, more officers could be charged with allegations
surrounding informant money.

It appears the internal audit that led to the charges yesterday is an
offshoot of an investigation launched last April into allegations drug
suspects' money and jewelry was disappearing in busts.

Edward Sapiano was one of 10 Toronto criminal lawyers who brought forward
the allegations on behalf of clients.

Sapiano believes yesterday's arrests will taint many criminal cases - ones
involving the charged officers as witnesses, and others.

"It will put in jeopardy not just the cases that these officers were
directly involved in but certainly all cases involving alleged informants
and drug cases in general," said Sapiano.

Toronto criminal lawyer

"This corruption is criminal activity that does not happen in a vacuum,"
Sapiano said.

"Our courts have virtually given licence to police officers to lie, cheat
and steal by turning a blind eye to this activity when it arises in their
courtrooms."

Sapiano said there is hope among his colleagues the arrests mark the
beginning of a long overdue cleansing of corrupt practices on the force.

"Those of us who work in the justice system are not the least bit surprised
by the allegations," said Sapiano.

The police force has strict rules about the use of informant money.
Officers are required to detail who the informant is and explain what
information they hope to get.

Each time an officer has contact with an informant, the officer must fill
out paperwork.

It's supposed to be reviewed by a supervisor.

All informants are referred to in police paperwork by their assigned number.

Behind the scenes, sources say internal affairs took a hard line in this
case because Chief Julian Fantino has put the word out he won't tolerate
wrongdoing on his police force.

Fantino was out of town yesterday and wasn't commenting on the case.

But Norm Gardner, chair of the police board, acknowledged this is the first
time the force has ever faced such a large corruption probe.

But he said it also shows the police service is dedicated to ensuring no
officer is above the law.

"We're making this public and we're not hiding anything," said Gardner,
adding there may be many charges, but unlike many cases in the U.S. these
allegations involve relatively small amounts of money.

"Basically this stuff is not going to be tolerated. Officers who go beyond
the realm of proper conduct are going to be charged," he said.

An angry Craig Bromell, president of the 7,000-member Toronto police
association, described the accused men as "outstanding officers" and said
he has no doubt they will be cleared of the charges.

Toronto councillor Olivia Chow (Downtown), a member of the police board,
said these arrests should send a clear message to all officers that they
will be caught if they break the law.

She credits the recent internal audit for putting investigators on the
trail of these officers; now that the force has agreed to independent
audits more checks and balances are in place.

"The best thing to stop corruption is independent review. Now that we have
strengthened our audit system, it gives some confidence that anything of
this nature will be caught," she said.