POLICE BOARD FEELS HEAT OVER PROBE

Emergency Talks With Fantino Over Corruption Allegations

Bringing in RCMP to investigate seen as a key option

Toronto's Police Services Board will hold an emergency meeting with Chief
Julian Fantino as early as today to discuss allegations that officers have
been protecting "drug depots" and shaking down business owners to pay off
gambling debts.

Among the questions to be raised at the meeting is whether an independent
police force such as the RCMP should be called in to investigate.

"It's very upsetting and the question is: Is there just a smell or is there
something systemically wrong," board chair Alan Heisey said yesterday. "The
media has raised the question and I assure (you) that the board will be
examining this matter very carefully."

The RCMP was called in 2001 to investigate allegations of theft, perjury
and fabricated evidence involving former Toronto police drug squad
officers. In January, the RCMP announced charges against six of the former
officers.

Heisey said he has been trying to call a special meeting on the latest
allegations since early last week. But he has been having trouble reaching
a quorum because three of the board's five members are Toronto councillors
who have been tied up in city council's marathon budget debate which
resumes today.

Daily revelations in the Star and other media about alleged police
involvement in illegal gambling dens and mob payoffs are too explosive to
wait until the board's regularly scheduled meeting later this week, Heisey
said.

"Given what's developing, it's too important to wait until Thursday," he said.

"I think at this point it's very clear we need a very detailed briefing,"
Heisey said, adding that it would be premature to call for an independent
police investigation before discussing the matter with the board and
hearing from the chief.

Mayor David Miller said the allegations are "extremely serious and need to
be treated seriously."

"With respect to the independent investigation, I think the board should
seriously consider what's appropriate and what's necessary," he said
yesterday. "But until we know more facts, it's hard to know whether either
an outside investigation or a (public) inquiry is warranted.

"The board will get briefed (today or tomorrow) with more facts, so I'm
sure they'll make the right kind of decision."

Miller, who has spoken to Fantino about the allegations twice last week,
said he expects to get a further briefing this week.

"Torontonians are proud of their police service. But it has to be
absolutely beyond reproach. The series of incidents and allegations reveal
a very disturbing pattern," Miller said.

Councillor Pam McConnell, deputy chair of the police board, said she thinks
Fantino should seriously consider calling in an independent force to
investigate the allegations as he did in the drug squad matter.

"It's only one of the options, but it seemed to work well last time," she
said. "I will certainly be discussing that with the chief of police."

Earlier this month, Toronto police suspended one officer and disbanded the
plainclothes unit at downtown 52 Division as part of a major internal
affairs investigation into police corruption. Two of the officers under
investigation are sons of former police chief William McCormack. Police
union president Rick McIntosh, also under investigation, has stepped aside
temporarily pending the results of the probe.

Last week, Fantino said he expects both criminal and Police Act charges to
be laid as the investigation unfolds. Sources have told the Star as many as
six officers will be charged by the end of next month.

On Saturday, the Star reported that two downtown bars and another on the
Danforth were allegedly used as "drug depots" and protected by city police
while mobsters used the venues to stash drugs and count their money.
Sources told the Star that police officers allegedly received payments from
mobsters to ensure that the bars weren't bothered by police patrols or
liquor licence inspectors.

According to sources, the probe also involves a protection racket allegedly
run by officers to help pay off gambling debts they incurred in Woodbridge.
There are also allegations that at least three bars were being used to
stash drugs and that the people running the bars are linked to organized
crime. Investigators are also looking into businesses in Richmond Hill that
were used to launder money and allegations that at least one officer
received sexual favours from prostitutes, sources say.

Meanwhile, several bars in the theatre district have complained to police
that they have been subjected to shake-down attempts by officers.

Sources have told the Star that the internal affairs investigation was
launched 14 months ago after the force was notified by the RCMP that it had
come across information related to officers working in the downtown 52
Division while conducting a probe of organized crime.