Toronto constable demoted for role in cheating promotions exam
An officer who admitted to playing a part in a scheme to cheat the Toronto Police Service promotions procedure has been temporarily demoted instead.
Constable Horace Harvey — who had already pleaded guilty to discreditable conduct for his part in getting special treatment from a high-ranking officer — will be busted down from a first-class constable to a second-class for a period of six months, according to a decision by Supt. Shane Branton of the Toronto police's disciplinary tribunal.
“He made conscious choices to participate. His actions were contrary to the rank he was attempting to obtain. This even has caused extensive damage to the reputation of the service internally or externally,” Branton said in his judgment.
Harvey is one of several officers caught up in a police promotions scandal that has also ensnared a TPS superintendent Stacey Clarke, who was once spoken of as an option for chief of the department.
Harvey was attached to intelligence services and was a candidate to be promoted to Sergeant, an agreed statement of facts says in the case.
Clarke was mentoring him through the process — a mentorship that was supposed to end on November 25, 2021, well before his actual promotional interview on December 7, 2021.
But the statement of facts says the mentorship continued past the beginning of other officers’ interviews. Investigators seized Harvey’s cell phone and found messages containing pictures and audio recordings of real questions faced by others, the statement says.
Clarke herself sat on Harvey’s promotional panel, and neither of them declared a conflict of interest despite a “personal and familial relationship with Supt. Clarke for over 20 years,” it says.
Prosecutor Alexandra Miller argued that Harvey put his personal relationship with Clarke above his obligation to the Toronto Police Service.
“The lack of honesty and integrity are at the core of this incident, which makes it more serious,” she said.
Harvey’s defence lawyer, David Butt, said Harvey never sought out the special treatment but followed the lead of the higher-ranking superintendent because the TPS’s hierarchical culture didn’t give him much other choice.
“Realistically, if we take the informal culture into account, what power does a Constable have to say to that rising star Superintendent, not only will I not do it, but I will report you?” Butt asked.
Clarke is separately charged with seven counts of professional misconduct under Ontario’s Police Services Act for allegedly sending questions in advance to six constables.
The allegations against Clarke have not yet been heard by the tribunal, and Branton addressed them only generally.
“Superintendent Clarke’s repercussions as to her actions in this matter will not be addressed other than by commenting that fundamentally the level of responsibility and culpability rises as the position in the organization does,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.