By DARREN YOURK, The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada)
Charges have been laid against six Toronto police officers in the wake of a massive 2 1/2-year RCMP investigation into corruption on the force.
Staff-Sergeant John Schertzer, Detective Constable Steven Correia and Constables Raymond Pollard, Joseph Miched, Ned Maodus and Richard Benoit have been charged with more than 20 offences, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, extortion, theft and assault.
The officers, five of whom are still active on the force, were members of the Police Service’s central drug squad. They turned themselves in at Toronto Police headquarters Wednesday morning and are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon. All have been suspended with pay.
Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino, who asked the RCMP to oversee an independent investigation into the allegations in August of 2001, said he was ?saddened and disappointeda by the findings .
Chief Superintendent John Neily of the RCMP led the investigation.