COP SCANDAL: JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE

Wednesday was a bad day for policing, and a bad day for
Toronto.

While the six former drug squad officers now facing 40 criminal
charges - including conspiracy to obstruct justice, extortion, theft,
perjury and assault, are presumed innocent - the allegations cast a
pall over the entire force.

Depending on the outcome of these cases, involving allegations that
date from mid-1995 to early 2002, all sorts of drug cases, charges and
previous convictions could be compromised.

The charges laid this week stem from a two-year probe by an RCMP-led
task force headed by RCMP Chief Supt. John Neily that has cost almost
$3 million.

Police Chief Julian Fantino called in Neily following an internal
affairs unit investigation of the drug squad that began in 1999.

That investigation led to charges of theft, fraud and forgery against
eight drug squad officers, involving alleged thefts from the "fink
fund" - money the force uses to pay informants.

While those charges were being heard, Fantino called in Neily to
conduct an outside review.

Soon after that, 115 drug prosecutions were stayed. In early 2002, all
charges against the eight officers were dropped because prosecutors
said they were worried that pursuing them might adversely affect
Neily's investigation.

In addition to the six officers charged this week, four more were
named as unindicted co-conspirators.

We believe most police officers are dedicated men and women who do a
difficult and dangerous job with great dedication. We sympathize with
Fantino's call that people not judge the entire force by this, nor
lose faith in the police.

That said, for the sake of the reputation of the force - as well as
for the rights of the accused officers - it's vital these charges go
to trial as quickly as possible. Until the evidence against these
officers is presented and tested in court, the validity of scores, if
not hundreds, of drug investigations will remain in doubt.

Prominent criminal lawyers are already calling for Premier Dalton
McGuinty to hold a public inquiry into what they describe as the
failure of the police bureaucracy and justice system to detect and
deal with alleged police corruption.

We believe a public inquiry before these cases are tried would be
impractical and improper.

First, we need to know the facts of these cases. Once that's
completed, it will be time to consider whether a public inquiry is
needed.