VETERAN OFFICER ARRESTED IN ALLEGED ROBBERY RING

Police Say Identification Badges, Bulletproof Vests Used To Commit
Crimes; Toronto Detective Among Seven Men Charged

Toronto - It was the best disguise -- authentic police identification
and body armour.

Police say it easily opened doors to a treasure-trove of lucrative
merchandise, everything from luxury cars to marijuana.

But in raids this week, the real police shut down the alleged
operation and arrested one of their own.

Detective Constable Darren Cooper, a 10-year veteran of the Toronto
Police Service, was arrested early yesterday along with six other people.

Information about the events leading to the arrests is sketchy, but 25
handguns, including a police gun, three police bulletproof vests, and
three police identification badges were seized over the past two days.
Constable Douglas Conley of York Regional Police said the equipment
had been used to commit robberies.

Police were tightlipped about releasing details because they do not
want to jeopardize their continuing investigation, he said.

Also arrested were: Bobby Manchev, 31, Elie Salama, 24, Peter
Maroulis, 29, Nick Koulias, 29, and Mike Wassilyn, 27, all of Toronto,
and Kristopher Della-Pia, 22, of no fixed address.

Police have not specified the individual charges against each of the
seven, but the overall offences include armed robbery, conspiracy,
possession of a restricted weapon, impersonation, breach of trust,
possession of property obtained by crime.

The seven appeared in Newmarket court yesterday and were remanded in
custody until their next court appearance on Tuesday.

Three of the accused had visible injuries, including Det. Constable
Cooper, a Whitby resident, who had blood on his face. The presiding
justice of the peace ordered that they receive medical attention.

Toronto's new police chief, Julian Fantino, called the arrest of one
of his officers "a black day for policing."

Visibly distressed that one of his police officers was charged in
connection with an alleged organized robbery ring, Chief Fantino sent
out a message that "I want to give assurance to the public that we
will do everything reasonable to investigate factors that impact the
conduct of Toronto police officers."

Police held a hurriedly arranged news conference just hours after the
arrests. Constable Conley explained that the haste was because of the
large number of weapons seized and the fact that a police officer was
arrested.

The arrests were the result of a joint investigation launched in early
January by Toronto police and York Regional Police after they received
a tip that a police officer may have been involved with a group
committing robberies in the two jurisdictions.

On Thursday and into early yesterday, the joint team raided six
locations in the two regions and discovered the weapons along with
11.3 kilograms of marijuana, with a street value of $125,000, and
$130,000 in cash.

Police also seized six luxury vehicles, including one they nabbed off
the street at Danforth and Carlaw Avenues. Police did not say if the
vehicles were stolen.

One of the accused was arrested at Sherbourne Street and Dundas Street
East.

Constable Conley said more arrests and charges are expected as the
investigation continues. He said he did not know how many robberies
the seven are alleged to have committed.

Yesterday's arrest of Det. Constable Cooper was announced in York
Region at a news conference attended by both Chief Fantino and Robert
Middaugh, the new York Region police chief who succeeded him. Each
praised the other's co-operation in the investigation.

Det. Constable Cooper began his policing career in 51 Division, but
was later transferred to adjacent 55 Division. Both are in the eastern
part of the old city of Toronto.

Current and former colleagues did not want to talk about the arrest,
but one officer at 51 Division said those who know Det. Constable
Cooper were "all in shock."

Chief Fantino said the arrest of the police officer "highlights how
willing we are, and how determined we are, to ensure that the
integrity of law enforcement and that very sacred trust is not violated."