WARMINGTON: Toronto Police rocked by shocking allegations

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This could be a dark night in Toronto Police history — and Thursday is shaping up to be an equally dark day.

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Seven Toronto Police officers were arrested Wednesday in a massive alleged drugs, guns and corruption bust linked to organized crime.

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Sources tell the Toronto Sun one of the officers, Tim Barnhardt, has already been detained and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. After serving Wednesday night in custody, this officer is expected to make a court appearance Thursday.

Some officers suspended without pay: Sources

Sources said four of the officers, some with many years on the job, have already been suspended without pay — something highly unusual when police find themselves arrested.

“It has only happened to one officer before in Toronto Police history,” said a police source.

One of the officers suspended without pay was Barnhardt, who was being held in a York Region Police holding cell overnight and has a 10 a.m. bail hearing scheduled virtually.

The others who have been charged so far have been given court dates in the next six weeks.

The news of this massive case directed toward Toronto Police officers has sent shockwaves through the entire policing community. Sources say some of the allegations include connections to the warring tow-truck factions, names and addresses being shared by police, officers allegedly leaking information to hit men and the conspiracy to commit a home invasion and potential murder on a senior manager at the Toronto South jail.

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None of these allegations have been made public so far and instead come from multiple police sources.

Source calls situation ‘a mess’

“It’s bad,” said a senior Toronto Police officer. “It’s a mess.”

York Regional Police and Chief Jim MacSween are set to hold a news conference Thursday morning when more details of this massive investigation will be made public. Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw is scheduled to attend.

Toronto Police officers were in a state of disbelief as word of this probe leaked out across the service throughout the day and into the evening.

“This will shock Toronto,” said a police source, adding there are also allegations of drug dealers being robbed, “obstruction of justice and bribery.”

So far, no charges have been laid out to the public. And each person charged is entitled to due process. They are to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

But this is a black mark on individual Toronto Police officers and their mandated mission of fighting organized crime.

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Some of the officers allegedly involved in this come from 12 Division.

Numbers could fluctuate

While the number of officers allegedly involved now is at seven, it could grow, according to sources, in terms of the number of Toronto officers and perhaps some with another GTA policing service and corrections people.

“More than 38 people (many who are not police) are being investigated in this,” said a police source. “There are search warrants being exercised into the evening.”

This is so ugly.

Earlier in the day, York Regional Police swarmed an auto shop and sales place in the Milford Ave. area.

“They took out a safe from there and USB flash drives from there,” a source said.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Police Association put out a statement saying it is “aware of several of its members who were arrested today.”

They added “as a professional labour organization, we will ensure our members receive due process and wellness support as required.”

While saying they “have no further comment regarding this investigation or the members involved,” they do remind “we proudly represent over 8,500 uniformed and civilian members of the Toronto Police Service, whose dedication to public safety and commitment to the values of our organizations should not be disputed or questioned in the face of these allegations.”

But what will be questioned is what transpired with the Toronto Police officers who were charged.

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