Three OPP officers have been charged following an 18-month investigation by Ontario Provincial Police.
The investigation into the potential criminal activity of officers started in May of 2014 after the force received tips from a variety of sources, including OPP officers. A total of seven search warrants were executed on November 12th, a majority on County Road 5 in Mallorytown.
At an afternoon press conference at the OPP detachment in Prescott, ON, Chief Superindendent Daniel Redmond told reporters he has full confidence in his officers.
"It was the commitment of dedicated members of the local detachment, the OPP's organized crime enforcement bureau, and the OPP's professional standards bureau that led to the arrests," Redmond said.
The three officers all worked in the Leeds County detachment and have a combined total of more than 35 years in the force.
"We take this seriously. We will not stand for this within our ranks," Redmond said.
Provincial Constable Jason Redmond, 36 of Lynn is charged with:
· Obstruction of Justice, Trafficking a Schedule II Substance – Marihuana (3 Counts), Forgery, Breach of Trust
Provincial Constable David Vogelzang, 41 of Elizabethtown is charged with:
· Obstruction of Justice
And Provincial Constable George Duke, arrested several days earlier on October 31, 2015, is charged with:
Theft over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, breach of trust, possession of marijuana and several other charges.
All three of the officers have been suspended with pay until the charges are tested in court.
7 other people were charged as a result of the investigation.