(Image: Dave Conner)
In its ongoing effort to burn all bridges with various police forces around the GTA, the Toronto Star is reporting that a man accused of serious drug charges is also a nine-year veteran of the Peel police. Unlike the paper’s G20 coverage, this is more proof of the paper’s ability to dredge up juicy stories than its proficiency at doing the cops’ work for them—the officer would have been facing charges whether the Star ran the story or not—but it’s also yet another example of the paper’s dogged commitment to taking law enforcement to task each and every time it slips up.
From the Star:
A news release, issued Saturday, reported that Darrell Beck, 32, of Lisle, Ont., was arrested at 8:48 p.m. Friday on suspicion of impaired driving and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
The OPP would not confirm the accused is in fact an officer, saying he wasn’t on duty when he was arrested.
“We normally don’t identify individuals by way of occupation,” said OPP spokesman Peter Leon. “The only time we would identify (an accused) is if it was one of our members that was arrested and charged for transparency reasons.”
The article also notes that only after “numerous inquiries” did the police admit that the perp in question is, in fact, a police officer (specifically, a member of the street crimes unit). Naturally, the news is a reminder of the ongoing and strained relationship between the police and the city’s largest newspaper, which has also published stories that led to assault charges against officers in the G20’s wake and taken on the SIU’s role of ensuring the police behave themselves. It may seem like the Star has it out for cops—but it does occasionally publish more friendly fare (really, who could forget Twitter cop?).
• Peel cop’s drug charges kept quiet [Toronto Star]
If cops want to enforce stupid drug laws the public doesn’t like, they should expect the same treatment when they’re caught doing it. Until the laws are repealed, I expect this from the press.
September 21, 2011 at 5:23 pm | by O. FriendlyIt’s called journalism. You should try it sometime.
September 21, 2011 at 6:24 pm | by ronLOL
September 21, 2011 at 6:33 pm | by Joe DRon just made me laugh out loud- loudly
It’s never pretty when one media organization bags on another for doing its job.
September 22, 2011 at 12:42 am | by Dread NoughtYeah, makes one wonder, who’s side are you on?
September 22, 2011 at 9:27 am | by fiorellaToronto Life is a Gawker wannabe, but without the bite. Perhaps you can learn a thing or two about investigative reporting.
September 22, 2011 at 11:16 am | by ah123The Toronto Star should be commended! What the hell is the point of this article?
Why is Toronto Life so rabidly right-wing? The Bryant coverage, Hudak on the cover, stuff like this article, it never ends.
September 22, 2011 at 12:35 pm | by JosephThe SIU had called off their G20 investigations; it was only the work of the Toronto Star in finding new evidence that charges were laid against Toronto police for assault. Perhaps if the police could be trusted to investigate themselves properly, the Star wouldn’t need to do it for them.
September 23, 2011 at 12:37 am | by dgsimmons