Police carrying out raid in Brantford, Ont. entered wrong home, chief confirms

Brantford Police Service headquarters on Elgin Street in Brantford, Ont., are seen on Nov. 23, 2012. (CTV Kitchener)

Brantford’s police chief has launched an investigation after tactical officers raided the wrong home while carrying out a drug investigation last week.

Members of the Brantford Police Service Tactical Intelligence Generated Enforcement and Response Unit executed three search warrants as part of an investigation dubbed ‘Project Viking’ on Sept. 8, ultimately arresting one person and seizing a quantity of drugs and other offence material with a street value of approximately $636,000.

However, police now say that there was an incorrect door that was “breached” during the raids.

At this point it is not clear how police ended up attending the wrong address but Chief Rob Davis is launching an investigation to determine “the circumstances surrounding this oversight and to implement any policy improvements should they be required,” according to a news release.

"Transparency and accountability are core values of the Brantford Police Service and, as Chief, I am conducting a Chief’s Investigation to determine how this type of error could have occurred and want to assure residents of Brantford that measures will be put in place to make sure this does not occur again,” David said in the release. “Above all else, the trust of our community is essential to the Brantford Police Service.”

Police previously said that ‘Project Viking” was initiated in May in response to reports that a male from the Greater Toronto Area was attending Brantford and surrounding jurisdictions “in order to supply the area with fentanyl and methamphetamine.”

Police said that three search warrants were all executed at address on Darling Street and a 34-year-old Brampton man was ultimately taken into custody, following the seizure of 1204 grams of suspected Fentanyl and 772 grams of suspected methamphetamine.

In the release police acknowledged that the breaching of an incorrect door “would have been unsettling for those impacted” and said that it has engaged Victim Services of Brant to “ensure those affected receive the assistance they require.”