THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS
Booze party officers will keep their jobs

Louie Rosella
Jan 22, 2007

None of the 24 Peel Regional Police officers charged with roughing up two men who videotaped them boozing it up behind a Mississauga plaza will be fired.

The names of 14 of the two dozen officers charged under the Police Services Act were made public today as they made their first appearance before a Peel Police disciplinary hearing.

But, the names of the other 10 officers will not be made public because they elected to be disciplined internally. Their pay was docked after they admitted their guilt.

"Under the Police Services Act, I'm prohibited from commenting on what are now personnel records in terms of the 10 officers," said Sgt. Taufic Saliba, adding he couldn't comment on how much pay each officer was docked.

Saliba said none of the officers will be fired, though many could be facing a demotion.

The force's Professional Standards Bureau said the 10 officers who were disciplined faced less serious charges in relation to the incident.

They w ere were given the choice of taking an early guilty plea, as opposed to going forward with the public hearing.

The other 14 weren't given the same choice due to the seriousness of their charges, police said.

"This goes against the core values of our organization. This is unacceptable behaviour and certainly we will hold all our officers at all times, accountable and expect only the highest professional conduct," said Saliba. "In terms of morale, (these type of charges don't) look good on any police service but it certainly indicates to the citizens of Peel Region, how seriously we take these allegations and the fact that we are addressing them."

The 14 remaining officers, including two sergeants, face 29 charges under the Police Services Act. Following is a list of the officers and the charges they face:

* Const. Matt Bertram is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Michael Bishop is charged with two counts discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Michael Clutterbuck is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Kevin Cranley is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Jessica Innes is charged with discreditable conduct

* Const. Erin Korslick is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Patrick Lynch is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Mark McLaughlin is charged with two counts of discreditable conduct, neglect of duty, corrupt practice and deceit

* Sgt. Tom McNulty is charged with discreditable conduct

* Const. William Moldrik is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Craig Nelson is charged with discreditable conduct)

* Const. Jason Ross is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Sgt. Peter Steringa is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

* Const. Allan Villers is charged with discreditable conduct and neglect of duty

These officers reserved their plea when they appeared today because they have yet to see all the information relating to the charges against them, the hearing was told.

All the officers are being represented by Bob Baltin, a lawyer with the Peel Regional Police Association.

The internal affairs investigation, believed to be the largest ever in the province in terms of the number of officers charged, was sparked in early September when Richard Cimpoesu, 24, and Orlando Canizalez, 20, came forward with their allegations.

They claim they were chased down and punched about the head and body in the early morning hours of Aug. 28, after several officers who were drinking beer and acting rowdy behind the Ethan Allen furniture store on Dundas St. W,, caught the two men videotaping them.

The men sustained severe bruising to their stomach and heads from the alleged attack, and they also claim they were threatened to tell the officers where the camera was and to turn it over immediately. But, police didn't find the video camera, and the two men later recovered it in nearby bushes, they said.

Despite allegations of assault, none of the officers are facing excessive use of force charges.

The hearing before Staff Supt. Blair Foley, continues March 9 via a telephone conference call.