POLICE SCANDAL MAY REOPEN DRUG CASES

13 Toronto officers face charges; drug cases in jeopardy

More drug cases may be in jeopardy and closed cases could be reopened in
what has become the biggest alleged corruption scandal ever to hit the
Toronto police force.

With Wednesday's arrest of eight former members of the police force's
Central Field Command drug squad, a total of 13 Toronto police officers now
face charges as a result of an internal investigation into alleged pilfering
of informant money.

At least 50 drug cases in which one or more of the eight drug squad officers
are potential witnesses have been on hold since Dec. 6, 1999.

Federal Crown attorneys who stayed charges in those cases are now looking
into whether the cases will ever be tried. The officers charged Wednesday
have been under investigation for some time, a newspaper reported.

The force's internal affairs department alleges only a small amount of cash
has been taken from the informant fund, which is used to pay "finks" for
information about criminal activity, police sources said.

The Toronto Police Association -- the police union -- says it's outraged at
the charges against the eight men. The union has been told the charges
involve $2,100.

Five other officers charged earlier this year from other units, are alleged
to have taken about $4,700 from the fund. Union officials may take some sort
of civil action against the force.

While the alleged dollar figures may seem small, the charges are serious:
theft, fraud, forgery and breach of trust. If convicted, the officers could
face jail -- a penalty that would cost them their jobs.

Staff Sergeant John Schertzer, Detective Constable Steven Correia, and
Constables Sean McGuinness, James Leslie, Jonathan Reid, Raymond Pollard,
Jaroslaw Cieslik and Joseph Miched are to appear in court in January.

Gary Clewley, lawyer for the officers, says the case will come down to
credibility.