Halton Officer Charged

Source:Peterborough Examiner

BURLINGTON -- An off-duty Halton Regional Police officer in Burlington is facing domestic violence charges.

An investigation into the officer and her former common-law husband of two years has led to Const. Melanie Fedun being charged with sexual assault, forcible confinement and three counts of assault. She'll be in a Milton court on April 23.


Fedun has been with the force for eight years. She is now suspended with pay.

Prelim set for officer

Source: THE DAILY PRESS


Two weeks have been set aside for a preliminary hearing for a South Porcupine Ontario Provincial Police officer facing several charges including attempted murder.

The dates were set aside in the Ontario Court of Justice in Timmins yesterday.

A full week in mid June and a second full week in mid July have been set aside for the preliminary hearing.


The charges laid against, Cecile Fournel, 53, stem from a residential fire in Timmins in February 2009.

She is charged with attempted murder, arson and administering a noxious substance.

The 10-year member of the OPP is currently suspended from duty.

The charges were laid in connection with alleged incidents which occurred which the officer was off duty.

Police mourn slain constable

=======Provincial Constable Vu PHAM=======


Source: The Spec
Shooting started when police pulled over vehicle on rural road

March 09, 2010
The Canadian Press
WINTHROP, Ont. (Mar 9, 2010)
A provincial police officer was shot and killed yesterday when pulling over a vehicle in rural southwestern Ontario, an incident witnesses said set off a close-range gunfight between the suspect and officers.

Constable Vu Pham, 37, was shot and "immediately incapacitated" after taking the "initiative to intercept" the suspect shortly after 10 a.m., said OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino.

"It is with a sense of loss and deep regret that I'm informing ... that we lost officer Pham. He succumbed to his injuries a short while ago at hospital," said Fantino late yesterday afternoon.

"We are rallying around the family to make arrangements to truly express our appreciation to one of our heroes."

The officer was confronted by an armed suspect when he tried to stop the vehicle near Winthrop, Ont., about an hour north of London, said Fantino at a news conference earlier in the day.

"Officers in close proximity to the scene located the suspect. The suspect was also shot in the incident," he said.

The suspect, who was in hospital, is believed to be in his 70s and charges are pending, said Fantino, adding no other officers were injured in the incident.

Reports said Pham, who was rushed by air ambulance to London Health Sciences Centre, suffered a head injury.

A 15-year veteran of the force, Pham was a married father of three. His wife, Heather, and their sons Tyler, 12, Jordan, 10, and Joshua, 7, were with him when he died.

"(It's) just a very sad time for all of us. And our deep condolences go out to the family, Heather and the children especially," Fantino said.

It's up to the family whether Pham will have a full police funeral, police said.

When asked about the condition of the suspect, police referred calls to the province's Special Invest- igations Unit, which is probing the shooting.

Under the Criminal Code, the murder of a police officer is considered first-degree murder regardless of whether it was planned or deliberate. First-degree murder carries a life sentence upon conviction with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Eyewitnesses said 15 to 20 shots were exchanged between an officer and the suspect from across a two-lane rural road.

"The guy (was) laying in the ditch and the police officer was on the other side of the road in the ditch but he was standing up and they were both shooting back and forth at each other," Faith Weber, of nearby Brussels, told radio station CKNX.

"When I was there there was probably about five, six shots that already went off, and then we had to move back farther and then there was more shots going off."

Weber said more police arrived and the gunfire ended.

"After the shooting was done there was six, seven cops over where the guy was laying in the ditch, and he wasn't moving. I didn't see him moving at all after that."

Pham is the 104th OPP officer killed in the line of duty since the force's inception 100 years ago. Twenty four, including Pham, were fatally shot and one was fatally stabbed.

Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Pham joined the force in 1995 and has worked in the Cochrane and Parry Sound detachments. He was posted to the Huron County detachment.

Police had shut down the two-lane highway yesterday where the shooting took place, an area of farm fields sparsely dotted with homes.

Fantino noted police were preparing to gather today for the funeral of Peel Region police Constable Artem (James) Ochakovsky in Mississauga.

Ochakovsky died of his injuries in a Toronto hospital last Tuesday after his marked cruiser ended up wrapped around a light standard following a collision with another vehicle.

He was the first Peel Regional Police officer to die on duty in 25 years.

Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday's shooting was an "opportunity for all of us just to reflect on how much we count on these men and women every single day to go out there and put it on the line."

Special Investigations Unit spokeswoman Monica Hudon said OPP officers "became involved in a standoff with a man at 82352 North Line in Huron County."

"The man was wounded and has been taken to the Victoria Hospital in London for treatment. Six investigators and three forensic investigators are investigating this incident."

Police officer charged with sexual assault

Source:Whig Standard
A Brockville Police officer will appear in court March 19 to answer multiple charges in connection with a March 4 assault.

The officer, whose name cannot be identified by court order, was released on bail after a court hearing yesterday.

He was arrested March 4 by area OPP and charged with three counts of assault, sexual assault, forcible confinement, two counts of uttering threats and three counts of breach of undertaking.


Brockville Police Chief Adrian Geraghty told The Recorder and Times the officer has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the trial.

Geraghty said city police issued a press release one day after the arrest to provide the public with information. However, the suspect's name is not being released to protect the victim's identity, he said.

"We're not trying to hide anything. That's why we released the incident," said Geraghty.

He said any detail could tend to identify the victim in a small police service.

Geraghty said the arrest has had an impact on staff and police officers.

"It affects everybody in the service but we'll have to wait for it to come out in court."

Brockville Police Services Board chairman King Yee Jr. said he knows little about the incident beyond the media reports.

"Obviously when something comes out like this it's not something we like to see," Yee said during a telephone interview.

Yee said counselling is available through the police service contract for officers in need.

Article ID# 2482338

Bryant case put over until April 14

Michael Bryant has yet to step inside a courtroom and no one should be surprised.

The criminal case against former Ontario attorney-general Michael Bryant, charged with criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving, has been put over to April 14.

Brockville police officer charged

Source:The Recorder
City police have charged one of their own with several criminal offences.

In a briefly worded media release Friday afternoon, Brockville police said an officer was "arrested and charged with several Criminal Code offences" Thursday.

Police said they were not releasing the officer's name "to protect the victim's privacy."


They also did not indicate the nature of the criminal offences the officer is now facing.

"Brockville police will not disclose any further information on this case, in light of the fact that this matter is before the courts," the statement read.

Veteran Toronto Police Officer Charged

Source:Toronto/AM640
3/5/2010

A Toronto police officer, with 35 years of service, has been charged after two security guards had a gun pointed at them. Police say an off-duty officer pulled up to a security gate of a private residence early Monday morning in his own vehicle. While he was being questioned by a couple of private security guards, it’s alleged the officer took out his police issued firearm, and pointed it in their direction. He then drove away. 58 year old Constable William Hamilton has been charged with careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm and weapons dangerous.

=====================

Was this officer still suspended or was he off duty?

=====================


Dec 27 2006
Linda Nguyen
Staff Reporter

Source: Toronto Star

A Toronto police officer has been charged with uttering a death threat.

The allegations stem from a telephone conversation that took place while the constable was on duty on Dec. 23, Const. Victor Kwong said.

The officer worked at 41 Division at Eglinton Ave. E. and Birchmount Rd. and has been with the police force for 31 years.

He has since been suspended from his job.

Const. William Hamilton, 55, faces one count of threatening death.

Cop charged with criminal harassment

Source:The Spec
Charged after complaining against former partner

March 05, 2010
Paul Morse
An off-duty Hamilton police officer spent the night in jail after he was charged with criminal harassment.

In a brief news release, police say investigators had launched a probe into criminal harassment allegations the 29-year veteran officer had made against his former partner.

Instead, police arrested the officer and charged him with criminal harassment. They have not released his name because it may identify the victim.

The officer will appear for a bail hearing this morning.

Cop investigated for street racing

Source:Sudbury Star

OTTAWA - An Ottawa police officer with a history of misconduct was under investigation for street racing after he totalled his BMW in a crash in May 2008, a police tribunal heard Tuesday.

Const. Umer Khan pleaded not guilty to discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act. The force alleges he was driving carelessly in the 2008 crash.


Khan had left a Manotick party with two other officers and was driving north on Riverside Dr. at around midnight on May 31, 2008, when he lost control and struck a lamppost. The post was found 87 metres away and the vehicle was "demolished," Sgt. Guy Thivierge testified.

Thivierge led the investigation and said an officer informed him another vehicle was involved. He was also told there were reports of street racing.

According to Thivierge's testimony, one of Khan's passengers was Const. Jacky Lord, who began yelling at Thivierge at the scene when he said Khan, Lord and other witnesses should not be talking and ordered them to separate.

Lord said Khan knew him and he didn't appreciate being treated like a criminal, according to Thivierge.

"Don't make this worse than it needs to be," Thivierge replied.

Khan was calm, Thivierge said.

Thivierge testified that Khan said he had been driving 90 km/h, 30 km/h above the limit. He also said he had balding tires. Thivierge testified the roads were wet.

Thivierge told the hearing that Khan said he hadn't been drinking and couldn't provide information on the other car even though it was being driven by a friend of his.

Thivierge said he told Khan he could be charged with dangerous driving, careless driving or street racing. Khan was charged with careless driving and later pleaded guilty to driving 29 km/h over the limit and having balding tires.

The defence and prosecution will make final submissions Wednesday at police headquarters on Elgin St.

Khan has appeared at multiple police hearings since 2006. One case ended in an acquittal. A dangerous offender also put a gun to Khan's head and pulled the trigger in May 2005. The Colt .38's chamber was empty.

kenneth.jackson@sunmedia.ca

Article ID# 2475120

Retired officer used ruses to gain access to boys: Crown

Source:Caledon Enterprise


Thursday March 4 2010
By Mary Riley, Metroland Staff

The Crown attorney prosecuting the case against a retired OPP officer charged with dozens of historical sex offences against teenage boys described him as an opportunistic man who used specific "ruses" to gain access to them.

Mary Ellen Cullen delivered final submissions in the trial of Robert George (Bob) Lewis in Brampton on Feb. 25.

Mr. Lewis, 62, of Fenelon Falls, faces 25 sex-related charges involving 10 males that date back to the 1970s. He was charged in 2006 after Caledon OPP launched an investigation.

During his 30-year career with the OPP, he was posted to Downsview, Islington, Snelgrove (now Caledon), Minaki and Coboconk. He retired in 1997.

His trial began before Justice Joseph Fragomeni in Orangeville last May, and after court scheduling forced a delay, his defence began last November. A publication ban prevents publishing any details that could identify witnesses.

Last week, family and friends of some of the complainants and the Lewis family listened as Ms Cullen rebutted statements by defence lawyer Leo Kinahan earlier in the week.

In his final submissions, Mr. Kinahan said the evidence against his client was fraught with inconsistencies and was at times outright lies. He maintained there is "zero corroboration" for any of the allegations against Mr. Lewis and he constantly referred to multiple versions of alleged incidents of fondling, masturbation and oral or anal sex assaults.

Although most of the complainants do not know each other, a few do, and Mr. Kinahan suggested some could be trying to "help" others by testifying against Mr. Lewis.

Ms Cullen told the Court the law says judges must consider if there is an "improbability of coincidence" in the evidence. She insisted there has been no collusion and denied Mr. Kinahan's charge that the Crown hopes to convict based on the number of complainants in the case, saying, "This is not about a bunch of people who got together to 'get' Bob Lewis because he gave them speeding tickets."

Rather, Ms Cullen pointed out, these are "very brave men" who finally found the courage "to confront a police officer."

"I don't know how anyone in this case found the fortitude to come forward and [take on] a respected member of the community and an OPP officer," she said.

Normally soft spoken, Ms Cullen's voice gained strength as she accused Mr. Lewis of being evasive and vague on the stand. Citing several parts of his evidence, she told the Court he "fabricated" parts of it and deliberately avoided giving straightforward answers when he was cross-examined.

Ms Cullen described Mr. Lewis as "a great guy" whom everybody liked and respected as a police officer, family friend and neighbour. But, she painted a darker portrait as she described several of the alleged sexual assaults on the teenagers, saying Mr. Lewis used "ruses" to gain access to the boys.

Many of the alleged incidents happened while he was on duty, in places that included police cars, remote rural roads and the complainants' family homes. Ms Cullen cited one complainant's story that Mr. Lewis came to his home one night while the boy was home watching a hockey game with his parents. Court heard during the trial that Mr. Lewis pretended to "arrest" the boy as a joke, handcuffing him and putting him into his cruiser. He then drove the handcuffed teenager to a secluded area and touched his groin.

When he took the boy home, court heard, he stayed for awhile watching the hockey game.

But, Ms Cullen said Mr. Lewis testified he does not like hockey at all, and there was no reason for him to stay other than to "make sure [the boy] didn't say anything about what happened to him."

Ms Cullen said Mr. Lewis used his position as a police officer and a friend to many of the complainants' parents to gain trust, but also capitalized on the fact that none of the boys assaulted at his hands would accuse a police officer. She said the witnesses' testimony revealed details that were similar in the incidents, such as teaching police moves, wrestling, drying someone off after swimming and driving in police cars.

He used these "ruses" to touch the boys, she said, and if they didn't resist, the assaults would "become more intrusive." She said several witnesses testified Mr. Lewis had told them to "keep quiet" about the alleged incidents.

Ms Cullen addressed Mr. Kinahan's statements about witnesses who couldn't remember "major details" of the assaults. She insisted the witnesses were being "fair to the Court and to Mr. Lewis" by not embellishing or testifying to details they couldn't remember. When they could have easily boosted the number of incidents, she said, they instead focused on the ones they could clearly recall.

The Crown noted all of the complainants had "anchors," details of the incidents that fixed them in their minds, and there are similarities in their statements that revealed Mr. Lewis's "patterns of abuse he's used since the 1960s."

The Crown accused Mr. Lewis of "doing everything he could" to avoid admitting anything that could corroborate a witness's evidence, and observed his police notebooks are unreliable because he did not record when he stopped at private homes or took any of the boys for rides in a cruiser.

"But, he wouldn't put that in his notebook because he wasn't supposed to be doing those things on duty," she said.

When describing Mr. Lewis's alleged serial molestations of one complainant, Ms Cullen pointed out that years later, Mr. Lewis attended a funeral of one of the boy's family members. At the family home after the funeral (court heard at trial), the teenager took Mr. Lewis out behind a shed to show him a snowmobile he'd built from parts, and Mr. Lewis, the Crown said, again tried to touch the teenager.

"He even used a family funeral with lots of people nearby as an opportunity to take a young man to a private area and try [to touch him]."

Ms Cullen challenged Mr. Kinahan's claim that the Crown is "piling on" numerous complainants to gain a conviction in the case. Citing one witness who she said is angry and extremely reluctant to describe numerous alleged assaults at Mr. Lewis's hands, she said the man "struggled for years to try and come forward, but just couldn't."

"And, one day, he was driving in his car with his wife and heard on the radio that a retired police officer had been arrested and charged...and, he turned to his wife and said, 'It's Bob Lewis'," she said. "How would he know that?"

Ms Cullen said many of the men "didn't want to be the only one" to come forward and accuse a police officer, but many had said if one ever did, they would, too.

And, she pointed out that Mr. Lewis's height, build and presence as a police officer intimidated teenage boys who were fearful of telling anyone what happened to them. In small communities where Mr. Lewis was well-known and friends of many of the complainants' parents, she noted, the boys didn't feel they could speak out.

The Crown said that of course, there are inconsistencies in the witness's statements, especially to police, as, for many of them "it was the first time these words ever came out of their mouths; the first time they ever told anybody about what happened."

But, she urged the judge to consider that the inconsistencies must be considered not individually, but as a whole.

"You can look at that tree and see it's missing a branch," she said. "And, you can look at [another] tree and see it's missing a branch. But, if you have tree, tree, tree, tree - you're going to see the forest."

Ms Cullen will complete her submissions on Friday.