JUNKIE COP WILL KEEP JOB

Despite Drug Addiction And Abuse Of Position

A Toronto drug cop who became a cocaine addict and gave drugs to an
informant has struck a "last chance" deal to keep his job. But in
order to keep his badge, Toronto Police Det.-Const. Robert Patrick
Kelly will surrender his gun, submit to random drug and psychiatric
tests and accept a demotion that would result in a significant pay
cut, says a joint submission filed yesterday at a Toronto Police
tribunal hearing.

The defence and prosecution submission was given to tribunal head
Supt. Tony Warr yesterday moments after Kelly pleaded guilty to two
counts of misconduct under the Police Services Act.

CORRUPTION PROBE

Kelly told Warr he never intended to bring the Police Service into
disrepute and he is still a "proud member" and "a man very full of
integrity."

Kelly was arrested Nov. 16, 2001 by an RCMP-led special task force
probing drug squad corruption after the informant complained Kelly had
threatened his life over an unpaid $25,000 gambling debt.

Kelly, 39, was earlier given a suspended sentence by Justice Ian Cowan
March 4 after pleading guilty to two criminal charges of possession of
cocaine.

Kelly's guilty pleas yesterday acknowledge he gave the informant 3.15
grams of cocaine Nov. 9, 2001 and in the days leading up to his arrest
used a police cellphone to get more cocaine for their joint use.

An agreed statement of facts filed at the hearing yesterday reiterated
defence lawyer Peter Brauti's submissions at Kelly's criminal hearing
that Kelly slipped into cocaine addiction in the late '90s after the
death of his father, the shooting of a colleague and the collapse of a
common-law relationship.

WAS TO BE FIRED

Toronto Police had initially sought to fire Kelly.

But prosecutor Staff Insp. George Cowley said yesterday's "last chance
agreement" was a "balance" reached after "a lot of thought and a lot
of work."

Cowley said Kelly's early guilty plea to the criminal charges and his
"substantial rehabilitation" efforts -- some 300 to 400 hours of
counselling -- supported a deal.

"It is believed that ... Kelly should have the opportunity to
resurrect his career. If his job performance is evaluated favourably,
it is intended that he will be afforded all regular opportunities to
progress through the ranks."

Cowley said a medical assessment of Kelly from last week found him
free of drugs, "fit to return to work" and "well on his way to recovery."